Jacob W. Steen is a shareholder at Larkin Hoffman and chairs the firm’s real estate and land use department. He advises and represents businesses, developers, and property owners seeking government approvals, including zoning, environmental, real estate, and other regulatory matters. Jake's clients include data center developers and operators, developers of single-family subdivisions, multi-family developments, and commercial and industrial projects. He represents clients before all levels of city, state, and local government entities, including the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Environmental Quality Board.
In the evolving field of data center development, Jake is experienced with facilitating the entitlement process and development agreements for these complex projects. His deep understanding of local and state laws, combined with his long track record of collaborating successfully with municipalities, helps clients move their projects forward effectively.
In addition to his land use practice, Jake also serves as general counsel to several closely held companies, non-profits, and institutions seeking to establish, expand, and transact business in Minnesota and throughout the Midwest. In his role as outside general counsel, Jake advises on a range of business issues, including general business counseling, corporate governance, contracts and transactions, public and private financing, and the distribution of products and services.
Land Use and Zoning Law
Jake has broad experience working with federal, state, and local jurisdictions and agencies. Prior to joining Larkin Hoffman, Jake was a city planner for the City of Minneapolis where he worked extensively with the crafting and administration of zoning regulations and land use policy. He actively represents clients in performing zoning due diligence, obtaining land use and development approvals, facilitating annexations, and resolving zoning enforcement matters.
- Data center development. Represented data center developers, owners, and operators in all aspects of development, including negotiation and facilitation of complex annexation and entitlements processes.
- Zoning due diligence. Performed extensive zoning, permitting, licensing and entitlement due diligence for several hundred millions of dollars in mixed-use, commercial and residential development projects.
- Multiple family housing. Represented developers in obtaining zoning approvals for contentious multiple-family housing and mixed-use developments.
- Conditional use permits. Represented property owners and developers in obtaining conditional use permits to establish a variety of uses, including commercial, mixed-use, medical, light and heavy industrial and self-storage.
- Lot line disputes. Obtained subdivision and lot line adjustment approvals to resolve a variety of lot line disputes, including, urban, rural and lakefront properties.
- Sober housing reasonable accommodation. Represented owners and operators of sober housing facilities in obtaining reasonable accommodation from local zoning requirements under the Federal Fair Housing Act, as they relate to spacing, use and number of residents.
- Comprehensive plan amendments. Represented property owners and tenants to obtain Comprehensive Plan Amendments to permit a variety of uses, including industrial, residential, and commercial uses.
- Zoning text amendments. Represented a variety of clients to obtain zoning code text amendments relating to use classifications, signage and other provisions of local zoning codes.
- Zoning enforcement matters. Represented several property and business owners to intervene with local government to obtain relief from zoning enforcement actions and obtain land use approvals.
- Environmental reviews. Represented clients obtaining land use approvals and in defense against an environmental assessment worksheet petition.
- Wetland replacement permitting through local government and watersheds.
- Billboard permitting. Obtained state and local approvals for billboard reconstruction and upgrade.
- State agency approvals. Negotiated and settled environment disputes with Minnesota DNR.
- Obtain land use approvals for regional distribution center.
- Appeal of variance and permitting denials. Successfully appealed variance denial.
- Negotiated approvals for subdivision of industrial and manufacturing lands.
- Obtain permits and approvals for 100+ small-cell nodes.
Liquor Licensing and Permitting
- Obtain new liquor licenses. Represented several local, national, and international restaurant and hotel operators in liquor licensing-related approvals, including negotiation of interim management agreements and obtaining all necessary permits and liquor licenses.
- Liquor license violations. Represented liquor license holders in negotiating resolutions of liquor license violations with law enforcement and licensing officials and obtaining renewed approvals of the liquor licenses.
- Licensed business transition. Represented licensed business owners and operators of the new entity in obtaining a liquor license and resolving ongoing liquor license enforcement matters.
Business Licensing
- Obtain new licenses. Represented licensed entities in obtaining new licenses for a variety of licensed activities, including hotels, restaurants, parking facilities and various other uses.
- License violations. Represented licensed entities in license settlement conferences with governing jurisdictions to resolve license violations and ensure ongoing business operations are not disrupted.
- William Mitchell College of Law (J.D., magna cum laude)
- Editor, William Mitchell Law Review
- Minnesota State University (M.A.)
- Urban Planning
- University of Minnesota (B.A.)
- Political Science
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Top Lawyers in Minnesota,® Minnesota Monthly, 2026
- Super Lawyer,® Super Lawyers magazine, 2025 - present
- Rising Star®, Super Lawyers magazine, 2021 - 2024
- The Best Lawyers in America-Ones to Watch©, Land Use and Zoning Law, 2022, 2023
- Housing Industry Leader of the Year, Housing First Minnesota, 2020
- Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP)
