2013 Govt. Lawyer of the Year

HARRISBURG (Nov. 22, 2013) - Rebecca L. Peace has been named the 2013 Government Lawyer of the Year by the Pennsylvania Bar Association Government Lawyers Committee.

The award, presented to Peace during a ceremony at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg East, honors a government lawyer who has made a significant singular contribution or has dedicated his or her career to outstanding service to the profession for the benefit of the public or a government entity.

Since 1989, Peace has served as chief counsel for the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA). She is a member of the agency's senior management committee and provides legal counsel on all corporate matters to the agency's governing board. PHFA, based in Harrisburg, works to provide affordable homeownership and rental apartment options for senior adults, low- and moderate-income families, and people with special housing needs. Through its mortgage programs and investments in multifamily housing developments, PHFA also promotes economic development across the state.

Peace was instrumental in the creation of two nonprofits: Commonwealth Cornerstone Group, which seeks to enhance, strengthen and revitalize Pennsylvania's low-income communities, and ReImagining Communities, which assists PHFA with furthering its affordable housing goals.

Peace is a nationally known expert in affordable housing matters, specifically on issues related to fair housing, administration of federal programs and public finance. She regularly interacts with the Internal Revenue Service, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, capital market entities, state lawmakers, consumer advocates and action groups, mortgage and insurance companies, banks and consumer lenders, as well as state and local governmental entities and housing interest groups.

Peace is a founding member of Ladies First, an independent association that provides educational and networking opportunities for female public finance professionals in the Mid-Atlantic region and promotes the role of women in the public finance industry.

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association exists to promote justice, professional excellence and respect of the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 28,000 lawyers who are members of the association.