Henrico County has appointed Andrew R. Newby as county attorney.
Newby, who currently serves as a deputy county attorney for Henrico, will succeed Joseph T. “Tom” Tokarz II in the position. Tokarz is retiring after a career of more than 41 years with the County Attorney’s Office, including service in the office’s lead position since August 2020.
As county attorney, Newby will head a department with 21 staff members and a budget of $2.7 million for the 2021-22 fiscal year. The County Attorney’s Office advises, represents and provides general legal services for the Board of Supervisors and county manager, as well as county boards, commissions, authorities and administrative agencies. The office also is responsible for interpreting state and federal laws, drafting county ordinances and resolutions and prosecuting certain violations of the Henrico County Code, including zoning and building code violations.
A member of the County Attorney’s Office staff since June 2010, Newby earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and received a juris doctorate from the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond. He is licensed to practice in the Supreme Court of Virginia, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Prior to joining Henrico’s staff, he served as a law clerk for Chesterfield County Circuit Court.
Newby currently serves as president of the Henrico County Bar Association. He and his wife, Melanie, have a daughter, Elizabeth.
