Steven M. Elrod - Holland & Knight LLP

City of Highland Park Corporation Counsel, Steven M. Elrod, is a partner in the Chicago office of the law firm of Holland & Knight LLP. Holland & Knight is among the top 10 largest law firms in the United States, with more than 1,200 attorneys practicing in 23 offices throughout the country. Mr. Elrod is the Executive Partner of the firm's Chicago office, and serves on the firm's national Board of Directors.

Mr. Elrod was appointed by the City Council as Corporation Counsel of the City of Highland Park in April, 2000.

Mr. Elrod represents private and public sector clients on a broad range of development, zoning, and land use matters. He was nominated by his peers, and selected by the Network of Leading American Attorneys, as a Leading Illinois Attorney in the Commercial Real Estate and Government Law practice areas. He was recently selected to be on the list of Best Lawyers in America for 2005-2006.

An active member of the Chicago Bar Association, Mr. Elrod served as Chairman of the Association's Local Government Committee and is a member of the Real Property Law Committee. He is also a member of the American Bar Association, the Illinois Decalogue Society, the International Council of Shopping Centers, the International City Management Association, and the American Planning Association.

Mr. Elrod serves on the Board of Directors of the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago, a not-for-profit organization providing law related education to school-aged children. He was elected as a member of Lambda Alpha International, the honorary society for the advancement of land economics.

As a member of the faculty of the National College of District Attorneys, Mr. Elrod lectures throughout the country on land use and zoning matters, and is the recipient of the College's prestigious Lecturer of Merit award.

Recent speaking engagement topics include:

• RLUIPA and Zoning of Religious Institutions, American Planning Association, Chicago Chapter, February, 2005
• National Symposium on Racial Profiling, Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, Rosemont, IL, May, 2005.
• Current Trends in Land Use and Zoning, National College of District Attorneys, Public Sector Legal Practice Seminar, Los Angeles, CA, November, 2003.
• Smart Growth and Government Regulation, ICSC, Chicago, IL November, 2003.
• Land Use Law, Moderator, CLE International, Chicago, IL, January, 2003.
• Regulatory Takings, ALI-ABA, Chicago, IL, October, 2002.

Recent articles and publications include:

• Vested Rights: Debate Fodder, Illinois Real Estate Journal (2006)
• Zoning Glossary, Illinois Land Use Law, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (2003).
• The Law of Eminent Domain, Introductory Chapter, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (2004)

Mr. Elrod received his Bachelors degree, magna cum laude, from Tulane University in 1979 and his Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University School of Law in 1982. He resides with his wife, Donna, and two children, Elizabeth and Daniel, in Highland Park.