Mack Paul is a real estate and land use attorney who advises clients on zoning, land use, environmental permitting, public financing, and public policy. He is known in North Carolina for his work obtaining regulatory approvals for large, mixed-use developments and urban infill projects, structuring public-private partnerships, and securing public financing to support infrastructure projects.
As a land use lawyer, Mack represents property owners, developers, coalition groups, and businesses on a wide range of development and infrastructure matters. His experience includes negotiating joint agreements with municipalities and conservancies for destination projects, as well as developing and implementing financing strategies to support infrastructure such as structured parking and other public improvements tied to major developments.
He also advises local governments, property owners, and environmental groups on coastal and environmental issues, including fisheries, sea level rise, coastal development, and large-scale infrastructure projects such as inlet relocations.
Mack is active with green building and smart growth initiatives. As a founding member of Triangle Growth Strategies and the Triangle Smart Growth Coalition, he brings together environmental and development stakeholders around shared approaches to growth and has contributed to regional planning efforts, including transportation and development strategies.
He teaches land use and real estate development law in the Pappas Real Estate Development Program at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School in Chapel Hill, and at North Carolina Central University. He has also served as chair of the Greater Triangle Regional Council.
Mack is co-author of MIRACLE ROAD: The Story of Research Triangle Park (October 2026, Duke University Press), which explores how a coalition of public and private leaders helped transform North Carolina’s economy and what that model means for future economic development.
Outside of his legal practice, Mack has been actively involved in local and state political and civic efforts, including serving as chief of staff to Lt. Governor Dennis Wicker and chairman of the Wake County Democratic Party. He currently chairs Majority Rising NC and Longleaf Policy Lab, focusing on cutting-edge state policy solutions. These experiences, along with his knowledge of fundraising, coalition building, and advising on transportation and urban issues, inform his understanding of how policy, stakeholders, and decision-making processes shape development outcomes.
- Best Lawyers: Lawyer of the Year – Litigation – Real Estate (2022)
- Best Lawyers: Lawyer of the Year – Land Use and Zoning Law (2021)
- Best Lawyers: Land Use & Zoning Law (2008-2027), Real Estate Law (2013-2027), Litigation – Land Use and Zoning (2018-2027), Litigation – Real Estate (2019-2027)
- Chambers USA: Real Estate – Zoning/Land Use (2015-2016, 2018, 2020-2021, 2023-2024)
- Green Building Certification Institute: LEED Accredited Professional (LEED-AP)
- Super Lawyers (2016-2026)
- Represented developers in approval by a municipality and Local Government Commission of the first two Special Assessment Districts in the State of North Carolina to finance infrastructure to support large, mixed use project.
- Represented developers in obtaining zoning approvals for a 400-acre traditional neighborhood development, including partnerships with the county schools, city parks and community college.
- Represented numerous developers in redevelopment of historic properties in Downtown Raleigh.
- Represented developer on a significant land swap at coast, requiring approvals by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State Property Office.
- Advised a major city on a policy framework for generating affordable housing in connection with market rate projects
Mack is a frequent writer and speaker on urban planning, transportation and policy matters.
- “The Legal Framework of Placemaking.” Co-presenter with Michell Silver, former NYC Parks Commissioner, Pappas Real Estate Development Program, (2025)
- “Raleigh Erased a Centerpiece of the Black Community. Here’s a Way to Restore It.”, The News & Observer (2022)
- “Is Citizen Input Creating Barriers to New Housing in Raleigh? The City Must Decide.”, The News & Observer (2022)
- “State of Redistricting in North Carolina,” Senior Lawyers Division Annual Meeting (2019)
- “State of Public Financing in North Carolina.” CDFA North Carolina Financing Roundtable Conference (2016)
- “A Reluctant Acceptance of Public Private Partnerships in North Carolina: Dispatches from the Font Lines.” NC Bar Association, 2015 Zoning, Planning and Land Use Section Annual Meeting (2015)
- “Global Trends and Impact on Real Estate Industry.” East Carolina University, Annual Advisory Board Meeting of the Construction Management Department (2014)
- “Real Estate Financing Considerations.” National Business Institute (2011)
- “It Takes Two to Tango: How Local Governments and Businesses Can Use Public Private Partnerships to Set a Course for Economic Success.” Co-presenter, Triangle Community Coalition (2011)
- “Financing Critical Infrastructure in Critical Times.” Co-presenter, N.C. Planning Conference (2009)
- “Incentives and Infrastructure Financing in the Aftermath of the Financial Crisis.” Co-presenter (2009)
- “Lawmakers Sweeten Public-Private Deals.” Co-author, Triangle Business Journal (2009)
- “Erosion Control: Urgent Need for Regulatory Reform.” Presentation to NC Beach, Inland & Waterway Association, Annual Conference (2008)
- “Sandbags, Groins and North Carolina’s Struggle for a Comprehensive Beach Management Strategy.” Presentation to American Shore and Beach Preservation Association, Annual Conference (2008)
- “The Politics of Real Estate Development.” (2008)
- “Issues for the Coast: Update on Sandbags.” Presentation to NC Beach, Inlet & Waterway Association (2008)
- “Campaign spending creating a grave threat to individual autonomy,” The News & Observer (Sept. 2015)
- “Rediscovering Raleigh,” Walter Magazine (Feb. 2015)
- A dying dog and lessons on life’s dynamics,” The News & Observer (Mar. 2014)
- “Triangle must choose transit plan,” The News & Observer (Oct. 2013)
- “The critical loss of our capacity to ‘exchange’,” The News & Observer (May 2013)
- “Can Americans beat partisanship?” The News & Observer ( 2012)
- “How to keep Wake schools’ edge,” The News & Observer (Oct. 2010)
- “Planning for a more urban Raleigh,”T he News & Observer (May 2010)
- “Tools to help shape Raleigh and its Region,” The News & Observer (Sept. 2009)
- “Where N.C. could stand some stimulating – on transit,” The News & Observer (Jan. 2009)
- “A new way of seeing beaches,” The News & Observer (July 2008)
- “Don’t leave Cary to RTP without a transit line,” The News & Observer (Mar. 2008)
- “Struggling for natural truth,”The News & Observer (July 2002)
- “For us, quality of life means business,” The News & Observer (Dec. 2002)
- “…Common sense for the Triangle,” The News & Observer (July 2000)
- “Enhancing downtown for a new economy,” The New & Observer (May 2001)
- We’ve got to aim for smarter growth,” The News & Observer (Sept. 1998)
- “Raleigh’s growing consensus,” The News & Observer (Sept. 1997)
- “Hockey showed what we’re missing,” The News & Observer (Mar. 1997)
- “The final stages of sprawl”, The News & Observer (Apr. 1996)
- “Adding density and rail transit to the mix,” The News & Observer (Apr. 1996)
- “The job for generation X: Constructing a new community,” The News & Observer (July 1994)
- North Carolina State Bar (1991)
- NC Mining and Energy Commission: Local Government Study Group
- NC Building Code Council, past member
- Urban Land Institute
- Common Cause North Carolina, Board Member
- Hope Center: Board of Directors
- Wake County Sustainability Task Force
- Wake County Democratic Party: past Chairman
- Triangle Tomorrow: past Chairman
- NC State University: College of Design, past Board Member
- Special Transit Advisory Commission
- Majority Rising North Carolina