Steven Diebenow

Steven Diebenow


Driver, McAfee, Hawthorne & Diebenow, PLLC

Recognized since 2016

Jacksonville, Florida

Practice Areas

Government Relations Practice

Land Use and Zoning Law

Real Estate Law

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Government Relations Practice Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Land Use and Zoning Law
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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 business and development incentives as well as entitlements including land use, zoning, concurrency and mobility fee approvals. 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. 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 during 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 20 years. He was actively involved in identifying, negotiating and structuring real estate investments.

Contact & Links
Location
  • Wells Fargo Center, Suite 1200
    One Independent Drive
    Jacksonville, FL 32202
Education
  • University of Florida, J.D. with Honors, graduated 1994
  • University of Florida, B.S., graduated 1991
Bar Admissions
  • Florida, 1995
Affiliations
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • NAIOP, Commercial Real Estate Development Association - Member
  • Northeast Florida Builders Association - Member
  • The Jacksonville Bar Association - Member
  • Urban Land Institute - Member

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Government Relations Practice Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Land Use and Zoning Law
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Government Relations Practice, Jacksonville (2021)
  • Land Use and Zoning Law, Jacksonville (2018)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for work in:
  • Government Relations Practice
  • Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Real Estate Law
Awards:
  • AV Peer Review Rated by Lexis Nexis | Martindale Hubbell
  • Jacksonville Business Journal‘s 2018 Ultimate Attorneys
  • Jacksonville Magazine‘s 2018 Lawyer of the Year
  • Jacksonville Business Journal 40 Under 40
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Economic Development Law
  • Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
  • Municipal Law
  • Utilities Law
  • Water Law

Publications

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