Steve Labovitz focuses on government affairs at a local, state and federal level, with an emphasis on legislative action, economic development, public finance, privatization and government efficiency. He has extensive experience in formulating public-private partnerships for companies that have business issues with the government sector and governments that are interested in privatization or outsourcing governmental tasks.
In the area of economic development, Mr. Labovitz has been instrumental in working with governments and developers in creating tax incentives for large development projects including establishing tax allocation districts in order to create and implement public-private partnerships. Mr. Labovitz was counsel and architect for the tax allocation district and the public financing utilized for the Atlantic Station project, the largest Brownfield development project in the country.
Prior to joining Dentons, Mr. Labovitz served as Chief of Staff for the City of Atlanta from 1994 to 1997. Generally regarded as having brought business acumen and organization to Atlanta’s City Hall, Mr. Labovitz was instrumental in the redevelopment of the downtown business district. He is noted as the architect of the financial and business terms leading to the $141 million Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta, where an additional $72 million in public improvements were associated with the arena. Parlaying that experience, Mr. Labovitz served as one of the principal negotiators for the City of San Diego in its construction of a new baseball park as part of its downtown redevelopment efforts. He has since worked on several other major and minor league stadiums around the country, including his recent representation of the Atlanta Falcons in negotiations with governmental entities, including the City of Atlanta, the State of Georgia, and other stakeholders to secure a new state-of-the-art football stadium.
Mr. Labovitz was recently named one of Atlanta’s 500 most powerful leaders by Atlanta Magazine and one of Georgia’s most powerful and influential lawyers by Men Looking.
Ahead Magazine. He has been recognized as a “Georgia Super Lawyer” in the area of Government Law by Atlanta Magazine and has been named to Georgia Trend’s Legal Elite in Governmental Affairs numerous times.
Recognition
Honors and Awards
- Named, One of Georgia’s Most Influential Politically-Connected Attorneys, James magazine 2020
- Named, Atlanta 500: Our City’s Most Powerful Leaders, Atlanta magazine, 2019-2020
- Named, Notable Georgians, Georgia Trend, 2019
- Named, One of Georgia’s Most Influential & Politically-Connected Attorneys, James magazine, May/June 2017
Activities and Affiliations
Presentations
- Panelist, “Growing Businesses: Doing Business in the Private Sector,” The 12th Annual Congress on the State of Black Business in Metro Atlanta, March 19,
- Keynote Speaker, Georgia Tech Executive Roundtable SFI Conference, February 9,
- Speaker, “Political Insights and Upcoming Elections,” The Atlanta Breakfast Club, June 1, 2016.
- “Succeeding in Big Firm and Big Corporation,” Legal Legends CLE (Panelist), February 19, 2016.
- “A new hope for an old plant,” SaportaReport, January 25,
- “Atlanta stadium deals a chance at city’s rebirth,” SaportaReport, December 7,
- Speaker, “Transportation Issues in the Buckhead Metro Area,” Buckhead Business Association meeting, July 30,
- “The New Braves Stadium:A P3 Home Run” American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia, May 14,
- “What is New in Atlanta Transportation Development?” Georgia CCIM Chapter, April 10, 2014.
- “Stadium and Mixed-use Development – The Right Way,” Real Estate Investment Advisory Council, First Quarter Event, February 20,
- “Atlanta: Where does it go from here?” Buckhead Business, May 30,
- “The Future of Downtown,” Kiwanis Club of Atlanta, April 23,
- “Campaign and Cocktails,” American Jewish Committee – Atlanta, October 10,
- “P3 Projects in the Pipeline-Demystifying the Public Private Partnership Market,” SMPS Atlanta October Luncheon, October 2,
- “Regional Transportation Referendum – Failure is Not an Option,” Atlanta Commercial Board of REALTORS Education Seminar, April 18,
- “T-SPLOST: Prospects for Passage and other major projects impacting Atlanta,” Henry County Rotary Club, March 12,
- “Can You Direct Me to the Intersection of T-SPLOST and P3?” American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia Conference: “Alternative Project Delivery in Georgia: Risks & Rewards for Consulting Engineers,” February 29,
- “A Conversation on Economic Development in Atlanta with Steven Labovitz and Jay Bookman,” Leadership Atlanta Regional Issues Day, February 9, 2012
- “The Critical Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Atlanta’s Past, Present and Future,” Georgia Tech IMPACT Speaker Series, February 8,
- “T-SPLOST: Prospects for Passage and other major projects impacting Atlanta,” Midtown Atlanta Rotary Club, January 31,
- “T-SPLOST: Prospects for Passage and other major projects impacting Atlanta,” Buckhead Business Association, January 5,
- “T-SPLOST: Prospects for Passage and other major projects impacting Atlanta,” Brookhaven Rotary Club, November 2,
- ULI Atlanta Regional Leadership Development Program, “Role of Government/Public-Private Partnerships,” Panelist. May 12,
- “A Conversation about Atlanta’s Infrastructure with Tad Leithead and Steven J. Labovitz,” Hines Portfolio Speakers Series, April 27,
- Moderator, “Financing Development Projects: A New Perspective on Financing Options.” Association of Defense Communities Annual Conference, Newport Beach, July
- “Tax Allocation Districts in Georgia.” The ABCs of TADs: Myths, Facts and Practical Applications, Atlanta, April
- “The Legal ABCs of Tax Allocation Districts.” Georgia Department of Community Affairs, March
- Panelist, Georgia City/County Management Association Spring Conference, Athens,
- “Tax Allocation Districts: Shaping the Future of Public Places, Spaces and Needs.” National Association of Counties’ Large Urban Caucus Meeting, Atlanta,
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- American Jewish Committee, Vice President of Atlanta Chapter and Member of Executive Committee
- Atlanta Bar Association
- Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, Board Member
- Atlanta Jewish Federation
- Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, Board President
- Central America Progress, Member of the Executive Committee and Board Member, Economic Development and Public Policy Co-Chair
- Council for Quality Growth, Chair (2018)
- Georgia Bar Association
- Grady Ambassador Force Member
- Jewish Family and Career Services, Board Member
- Jewish National Fund Member, Lawyers for Israel
- Lawyers Club of Atlanta
- Leadership Atlanta
- Metro Atlanta Boys and Girls Club
- Regional Leadership Foundation Member
- Regional Business Coalition of Metropolitan Atlanta Member
- Urban Land Institute
