Though born in New Jersey, the son of a first generation Italian immigrant, he became a Virginian almost immediately, moving with his family to Charlottesville, where his father ran a landmark diner and deli on “the corner” near the University of Virginia.

He left Charlottesville for northern Virginia, when he was barely five, moving north with his widowed mother and three siblings.  She was, and remains, he says, at the heart of his definition of courage, honor, hard work and devotion to family.

After graduating from high school in Herndon, Sevila attended the University of North Carolina, where he earned both his undergraduate and law degrees. In 1970 he was admitted to the bar in Virginia, and formally began his legal career with the United States Department of Justice.

He began private practice in Herndon in 1974.  There he was quickly elected to the Herndon Town Council.  He served for two years, until 1976.

Soon after moving to Leesburg to continue private practice, he was convinced to run for Mayor, elected, and served with distinction during the critical decade that laid the groundwork for the county’s exponential growth, from 1982 to 1992.

While serving, he helped found F&M Bank (now BB&T) and became a charter member of its Board of Directors.

In a long and distinguished career, Sevila has, among many other things, served as President of the Loudoun County Bar, been a member of the Rust Library Advisory Board, the Shenandoah University Advisory Committee and the YMCA Golf Committee.  He served as chairman of the county’s United Way Campaign from 2001 to 2003.

He is a member of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Transportation Board, the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, and the Virginia Bar Association.

An expert on land use, administrative and municipal law, civil litigation, real estate, and commercial law, Sevila has taught at Shenandoah University’s Byrd Law School, and lectured widely to audiences in government and the private sector.

A Boy Scout since he was 11, Sevila was recently awarded the Goose Creek District’s highly respected Good Scout Award.

Bob and his wife Nancy still live in Leesburg, have three children and two grandchildren.