FARMVILLE — Andrea G. Erard represents a pair of firsts for the Town of Farmville.

She is the first female Town Attorney in Farmville’s municipal history and the first whose practice concentrates solely on municipal law.

The unanimous vote by Town Council to hire her came during Wednesday night’s December council meeting, following a recommendation given by personnel committee chairman, and vice-mayor, Armstead D. Reid.

Erard succeeds Donald C. Blessing, who resigned as Town Attorney to accept a circuit court judgeship, and she will serve out the remainder of his appointment, which runs through June 30, 2015.

The Richmonder brings a wealth of experience and expertise in municipal law. Her past and present clients include the Town of Ashland, the Town of West Point, the Town of Colonial Beach, the Town of Remington, the Town of Bowling Green, Gloucester County, King & Queen County and Louisa County.

Oh, and she teaches Local Government Law at the University of Richmond, where she earned her law degree in 1989, as Vice-Mayor Reid noted.

A solo practitioner, Erard has concentrated on municipal law for more than two decades.

“Erard has extensive experience in municipal law and representing towns and is also a part-time professor teaching local government at the University of Richmond law school,” the vice-mayor said.

Half a dozen law firms applied for the Town Attorney vacancy. They were interviewed this week by the personnel committee, Erard rising to the top.

Her focus on municipal law proved pivotal in the personnel committee’s recommendation of Erard to Town Council and the decision to hire her.

“It’s hard for a general practitioner to compete with somebody whose specialty is municipal law,” Mayor David E. Whitus told The Herald. “The committee was blown away with her. I was blown away with her.”

Erard stressed her experience representing towns across Virginia, noting that they—and particularly college towns—face unique challenges.

The Mary Washington College graduate described herself as a community-minded attorney who enjoys representing towns and has experience in every area of local government law, from planning and zoning to finance, to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and economic development.