In a heartfelt show of emotion, Southold Town employees bid a fond farewell to Town Attorney Martin Finnegan at a celebration in Town Hall Thursday morning.
Finnegan is heading back into private practice, as a partner at Twomey, Latham, Shea, Kelley, Dubin & Quartararo, LLP, in Riverhead.
“This is not good-bye. This is farewell,” Finnegan said, thanking the crowd that filled the room. “I’m not going far.”
Finnegan reminded that he will still live in the community. “It was a pleasure to be your attorney and to be your friend. I’m just a phone call away.”
Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski, a former town councilman, was onhand to bid adieu to Finnegan. To his colleagues at the law firm, Krupski said, “It’s your gain, and Southold’s loss.” Finnegan, he said, has long been a part of the town’s “culture,” one of the reason’s he’s glad to live in Southold Town.
Presenting a proclamation to Finnegan, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said, “Martin’s wit, character, intellect, and integrity will be sorely missed. I’ve had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with someone of his caliber.”
Meanwhile, Russell said Tuesday that the search is on for a replacement. The board has interviewed a number of candidates, and after time to confer, is expected to reach a decision in the next month.
Last month Finnegan looked back on his experience and explains the reasons for his departure.
“Prior to becoming town attorney, I was in private practice for 17 years,” Finnegan told SoutholdLOCAL. “Serving as town attorney has been extremely gratifying and I am proud of all my office was able to accomplish over the past five-and-a-half years. While I have very much enjoyed the opportunity to provide counsel to all of the town’s elected and appointed boards and to the town’s excellent department heads and employees, my intention was always to return to the private sector and I feel that now is a good time for me and for my family to do so.”
Returning to the firm, Finnegan will return to general practice with a focus on commercial litigation, real estate and land uses. “I’m excited,” he said Thursday, adding that he’s eager to embrace the wide variety of cases he’ll handle.
Of Finnegan’s departure, Russell said, “This is a huge loss for the people of Southold. It will be very difficult to find someone of his caliber to assume the role.”
Finnegan has served the town since 2009, when he filled the position left vacant by his wife, Patricia Finnegan, who lost her battle with cancer that year. While he said he never planned to become town attorney, life, he said “sometimes throws you a curve ball. This was a great experience for me, and a great thing for my family. And I’m excited, looking forward.”
Employees enjoyed a large cake, cookies and other treats as they hugged Finnegan good-bye and shared memories and stories.
