“I possess unique skills and knowledge of how the condemnation process works having done it for over 27 years. I again represent property owners to assure that the playing field remains level, and that the landowners of Western North Carolina are not out-gunned, or outmanned when the NCDOT takes their land.”

- Kevin Mahoney

kevin.mahoney@farrin.com

919-328-4262

Injury Lawyers » Attorney Kevin Mahoney (Partner)

Served as Special Deputy Attorney General, Western Office

Named to “Best Lawyers” list⁴ for Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law by Best Lawyers in America, 2024-2025

North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society Inductee, 2020

Attorney Kevin Mahoney (Partner)

Kevin Mahoney is a Partner of the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin. He joined the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin in 2019 as part of the firm’s eminent domain practice and is the attorney in charge of the Asheville office.

He received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. He received his B.A. in Political Science from Georgetown University as well.

Helping a neighbor or someone who is having a hard time connects us. Kevin Mahoney was taught this lesson as a young man by his parents, who were always volunteering. Kevin spent his time between college graduation and law school building stoves for the poor in Central America.

After completing law school, Kevin learned to try jury trials as a prosecutor and then spent more than a decade helping landowners try to obtain just compensation in eminent domain cases.

The case that he is proudest of resulted in the reversal of the taking of private land and a restoration of the landowner’s ownership.^{1^} A city took a thriving commercial strip mall by eminent domain and turned it over to a private corporation to build a private baseball stadium on the property. Kevin worked with another lawyer and filed a lawsuit challenging the taking. They won. The taking was reversed. The landowner’s property ownership rights were restored. Justice was served.

Kevin and his wife decided to move to Western North Carolina when the pull of his young family and the requirements of a busy big-city law practice prompted some soul searching.

Kevin joined the Attorney General’s Western Office in Asheville, which covers the 26 westernmost counties in NC. He was assigned some of the most complex cases in the Western Office as well as many of the cases with the highest monetary exposure, all while mentoring younger attorneys and sharing his decades-long condemnation experience with them.

Eventually rising up to Special Deputy Attorney General meant leading the Western Office – managing and assigning hundreds of cases, hiring and training new attorneys, and more. Teaching aspiring real estate brokers in the evening also allowed Kevin to help people who were trying to break into a new career.

Kevin has a keen sense of fairness, and recognizes the importance of a level playing field. This sense of fairness is what drew him to join the NC Eminent Domain Law Firm.

“The NCDOT has hundreds of engineers, and many right of way agents and staff appraisers. The landowner often stands alone facing this huge government agency. I possess unique skills and knowledge of how the condemnation process works having done it for over 27 years. I again represent property owners to assure that the playing field remains level, and that the landowners of Western North Carolina are not out-gunned, or outmanned when the NCDOT takes their land.”

Don’t let his easy manner fool you. If you met him outside of work, his reserved demeanor would not reveal his competitiveness in the courtroom and his eventful career accomplishments.

You would think that Kevin is just a friendly guy who enjoys helping people. And he is. But to his clients, that friendly guy is also a formidable advocate.

Licensed In

North Carolina
Massachusetts
District of Columbia

Practice Area

Eminent Domain

Honors/Awards/
Accomplishments

“Best Lawyers” list⁴ for Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, 2024 – 2025 by Best Lawyers in America
North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society Inductee, 2020

Memberships

North Carolina Bar Association
Buncombe County Bar Association
Licensed North Carolina Real Estate Broker
Licensed North Carolina Real Estate Educator*
Real Estate Instructor, Cumbie & Trull School of Real Estate*

Publications & Speaking Engagements

The Chicken and the Egg; Appraisal Data and Opinion, 2021 presentation at NCAJ Eminent Domain section
Eminent Domain Case Study: When Old Railroads Meet New Pipes and Everything in Between, 2023 Mecklenburg Bar Association CLE.
Eminent Domain/Landowner Rights and Utility Right-of-Ways, 2024 N.C. Cooperative Extension

Community & Civic Involvement

Current and Past President, Rotary Club of Asheville South
Past President, Biltmore Park Homeowner’s Association
Past Vice-President, Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association
Past Member Reuter YMCA Advisory Board

Law School

Georgetown University Law Center
Washington, DC
1993, J.D.

College

Georgetown University
Washington, DC
1989, B.A. Political Science

Workers’ Comp Client, Google Review¹

The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin treated me like family.

James Scott Farrin treated me like family. They are very professional and great with responding back.

Former Workers’ Compensation Client, Online Google Review

I would recommend ANY and EVERYONE

I would recommend ANY and EVERYONE who has unfortunately been injured at their job and been treated unfairly to give JSF a call immediately. I had a very unpopular case, and JSF stepped up to the plate and delivered. I'm beyond ecstatic about my outcome! ¹

For legal reasons and client confidentiality, reviews have been slightly edited to remove identifying information and correct typos.

^ Results obtained prior to joining the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin.

* denotes inactive