Steve-Diebenow

Steven Diebenow

Partner Attorney
Phone
904.807.8211
email
sdiebenow@drivermcafee.com
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Practice Areas


Land Use, Zoning and Government Relations LawReal Estate Law and General Business

Mr. Diebenow is a partner at the firm.  His primary focus is real estate, land use, zoning, and government law. As a registered lobbyist across a wide range of issues, Mr. Diebenow represents individuals, corporations, landowners and developers to secure entitlements including land use, zoning, concurrency and mobility fee approvals as well as business and development incentives. He also provides legal counsel in real estate transactions including the acquisition, entitlement, financing, and development of all types of commercial and residential properties.

Mr. Diebenow began his professional career on the legislative staff of U.S. Senator Bob Graham in Washington, D.C. He went on to practice land use, zoning and environmental law at Rogers, Towers, Bailey, Jones & Gay, P.A., where he became a partner. Mr. Diebenow served as counsel to John Peyton in his successful campaign for mayor of Jacksonville and subsequently served on Mayor Peyton’s staff, first as Chief of Policy and Planning and then as Chief of Staff.   In addition to running the Mayor’s office day-to-day, at the Mayor’s direction, Mr. Diebenow led special projects such as: negotiating economic development incentive agreements and workouts; acquisition, disposition and redevelopment of properties involving local, state and federal agencies; and the attempted reconversion of a military airbase pursuant to the federal BRAC process.   After leaving the Mayor’s Office, Mr. Diebenow was named a Principal at Rock Creek Capital, an alternative asset investment and management firm that has invested in land and timber for more than 30 years. He was actively involved in identifying, negotiating and structuring real estate investments. 

Education


  • University of Florida, J.D. with Honors, 1994
  • University of Florida, B.S., 1991

Professional Affiliations


  • Admitted to the Florida Bar
  • Admitted to the Washington, D.C. Bar
  • American Bar Association
  • The Jacksonville Bar Association
  • NAIOP, Commercial Real Estate Development Association
  • Urban Land Institute (ULI)

Civic Involvement


  • Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce
    • Federal Issues Task Force, former Chair
  • Jacksonville Transportation Authority, former Vice Chairman
  • Riverside Presbyterian Day School, former Board Member
  • First Coast Manufacturer’s Association, former member
    • Government Relations and Environmental Committees, former Co-chair
  • JCCI, management team for the Improving Regional Cooperation study
  • JCCI Community Growth and Development Committee, former Co-chair
  • JCCI FORWARD, founding member
  • JAXCARE, former Board Member
  • Leadership Jacksonville, Class of 2005

Recognition


  • AV Peer Review Rated by Lexis Nexis | Martindale-Hubbell
  • Jacksonville Business Journal‘s 2018 and 2020 Ultimate Attorneys
  • Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law (2016 – 2024)
  • Best Lawyers’ 2018 Jacksonville Land Use and Zoning “Lawyer of the Year”
  • Best Lawyers’ 2021 Jacksonville Government Relations “Lawyer of the Year”
  • Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of Government Relations Practice  (2018 – 2023)
  • Jacksonville Magazine‘s 2018 Lawyer of the Year
  • Jacksonville Business Journal 40 Under 40

Publications


Co-author, Snyder House Rules? The New Deference in the Review of Quasi-Judicial Decisions, Florida Bar Journal, November 2000, Volume 74 Number 10.

https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/snyder-house-rules-the-new-deference-in-the-review-of-quasi-judicial-decisions/

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