Jacob G. Eccleston is an Associate in the firm’s Real Estate group. Jacob has been practicing law since 2019. He focuses his practice on real estate and municipal, planning, and zoning law.

Practice related activities

Jacob advises clients on a broad range of real estate and municipal practice topics and handles everything from contract review and drafting to employment-related matters and ordinance review.

Jacob has experience in land use, ordinance enforcement, and Tax Tribunal matters. He also is experienced in drafting police power and zoning ordinances on behalf of municipalities; advising municipalities at Board, Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals Meetings on the ins and outs of municipal law; reviewing Freedom of Information Act requests; and prosecuting ordinances and municipal enforcement for various municipalities.

In 2017 Jacob was a Judicial Extern to The Honorable Kathleen Feeney – Presiding Family Court Judge. He was also a Judicial Extern to The Honorable Curtis Bell – Chief Judge and Probate Court Judge.

Professional Affiliations, Activities and Honors

Jacob is on the Board of the KCBA, Board of the SBM Young Lawyers Section, and on the Board of the Portage Public Safety Foundation.  Previously Jacob was on the steering committee of the 2022 National High School Mock Trial Competition in Kalamazoo.

Jacob is part of Southwest Michigan First Leadership Kalamazoo as a member of the 2024 cohort.

Jacob received the 2022 SBM YLS Star of the Year Award.

Jacob has been recognized as a 2023 Michigan Super Lawyers “Rising Star” for Land Use/ Zoning.

Articles and Presentations

Jacob presented at the 2023 Michigan NALS Conference.

Education, Bar and Court Admissions, Clerkships

Jacob earned his Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University School of Law in 2019. During his time at Michigan State University School of Law, Jacob was Graduating Class President, a member of: National Advocacy Trial Competition Team, Journal of Animal and Natural Resource Law, and Student Bar Association – Section 1 Representative. Also during this time he was an Executive Student Ambassador.

Jacob earned his Bachelor of Arts in Community Leadership from Aquinas College in 2016. While at Aquinas Jacob was a Student Ambassador, a Resident Assistant, and Student Senate Chairman.

Jacob is admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan.