Paul M. Mahoney is honored with LGA's highest award, the Edward J. Finnegan Award for Distinguished Service, at LGA's Fall Conference at Landsowne in Leesburg:

            THE LGA EDWARD J. FINNEGAN AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE recognizes an individual in the Commonwealth of Virginia who has made significant contributions to local government law or the Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc. The 2018 recipient, PAUL M. MAHONEY, epitomizes excellence in service to both local government law and LGA. 

            Paul began his career as a local government attorney in 1975, serving as an Assistant City Attorney for Falls Church until 1979. He left Northern Virginia to become the Montgomery County Attorney, serving for five distinguished years before being appointed as the Roanoke County Attorney in 1984. 

            Roanoke County relied on Paul for his sound judgment, wide-ranging expertise, and ability to develop workable solutions. His counsel was routinely sought by all levels of County officials and employees, from the Board of Supervisors to entry-level staff. In recognition of his skills, the Board of Supervisors appointed Paul to serve a six-month term as the Interim County Administrator.  Many of Roanoke County’s achievements over the past twenty-seven years are attributable to Paul’s guidance, patience, and wisdom. 

            Paul is a throwback to a time when local government attorneys were general practitioners of municipal law. Paul’s breadth of knowledge encompasses the entire spectrum of local government law. As a result of the breadth and depth of his expertise, Paul’s counsel was eagerly sought by colleagues throughout the state.

Throughout his career, Paul was devoted to LGA and was a pillar of the organization, rarely missing an LGA conference. He served as an LGA director and on many standing and ad hoc committees, and was both a conference speaker and moderator on a variety of topics. Paul also served on the 1987-88 LGA Task Force on Local Government Structure that prepared the widely circulated and critically acclaimed report on the ability of the structure of Virginia’s local governments to sufficiently meet the challenges of the 21^st century. At his retirement in 2015, he was one of an elite group of local government attorneys who had served for more than 30 years.

In addition to being an excellent local government attorney and a devoted husband and father, Paul also served his community in a variety of ways, sitting on numerous legal, community, and charitable boards.

Even after retirement, Paul is continuing his service to local governments. He is the current chair of the Roanoke County Planning Commission and serves on the boards of the Senior Lawyers Conference and the Local Government Section of the Virginia State Bar.

In spite of all of his accomplishments, Paul has never lost his sense of modesty or humility. He did not seek the spotlight, following the principle that a local government attorney is most effective when people forget he is around. And, in spite of the turmoil in which a local government attorney is often embroiled, Paul has always maintained a calm demeanor and sense of humor.

THEREFORE, as a public commendation of his professional achievements in local government law, the legal profession, and his community, the members and board of directors of the Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc., on the 12th day of October, 2018, are pleased to honor and bestow the  2018 EDWARD J. FINNEGAN AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE upon PAUL M. MAHONEY.