Deputy County Attorney - Greenville County

Job Summary

DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY

Greenville County Attorney’s Office

About the Office

The Greenville County Attorney’s Office provides legal counsel to Greenville County government, its Council, and its departments. We are a small, close-knit team of attorneys and legal support staff who take our work seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. We value trust, autonomy, and genuine camaraderie, and we invest in the people who work here.

We give our people real independence and expect them to use good judgment. If you are looking for a place where curiosity is rewarded, where everyone pitches in regardless of job title, and where you will be treated as a professional, this may be the right fit.

About the Role

The Deputy County Attorney is the senior attorney in the Greenville County Attorney’s Office, reporting directly to the County Attorney. This is a position of genuine consequence. The Deputy serves as the County Attorney’s principal adviser on the office’s most complex, sensitive, and high-stakes legal matters; a trusted counselor who brings sound judgment to difficult questions, not just a thorough command of the law.

The Deputy also develops the junior attorneys and staff. We are a small team, and mentoring, whether hands-on or as a steady, experienced sounding board, is a real part of this job.

This is a true generalist position. The legal issues that come through this office are varied, often complex, and frequently time-sensitive. The Deputy must be comfortable moving between subject matter areas and representing the County wherever the work takes them.

What You’ll Do

Advisory and Counsel

• Serve as the County Attorney’s senior adviser on complex legal questions involving Greenville County, including personnel matters, Council rules and ethics issues, Freedom of Information Act compliance, and other high-stakes legal issues

• Provide practical legal guidance to County departments, boards, and elected and appointed officials, with a focus on helping the County navigate legal problems and avoid unnecessary litigation

• Draft legal opinions, memoranda of law, ordinances, resolutions, and correspondence on a wide range of matters affecting Greenville County

• Assist County departments with compliance under state and federal law

Zoning, Planning, and Land Development

• Provide legal advice and representation on matters involving zoning, planning, subdivision administration, land development regulation, and the Codes department

• Staff and advise County Council’s Planning and Development Committee on rezoning requests, area plan adoptions, and related land use matters

• Work closely with Planning and Zoning Department staff, Land Development Division staff, and Code Compliance staff on legal issues arising in their operations

Litigation and Court Appearances

• Appear independently on behalf of Greenville County in magistrate’s court, circuit court, and the appellate courts

• Draft pleadings, motions, and briefs in connection with litigation involving Greenville County

• Prosecute County ordinance violations in magistrate’s court

Legislative and Parliamentary Matters

• Monitor and analyze legislation under consideration by the South Carolina General Assembly that may affect Greenville County

• Advise County Council and staff on legislative process, parliamentary procedure, and the application of Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure

• Assist with Council rules issues and procedural questions as they arise

Liaison and Intergovernmental Relations

• Coordinate legal strategy and maintain working relationships with Greenville County entities that operate outside Council’s direct authority, including the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the Clerk of Court, magistrates, and local fire officials

• Field inquiries from County Council members, department heads, and the public on County legal matters

Training and Mentoring

• Conduct legal training for County boards, commissions, and staff, including Grievance Committee training, code prosecution training, fair housing training, and Freedom of Information Act compliance training

• Serve as a mentor and experienced sounding board for junior attorneys and staff in the office

• Review and approve lesson plans and training materials for County departments as needed

General

• Contribute to whatever the office needs — we are a small team and everyone chips in

What We’re Looking For

The most important things

We are candid about this: cultural fit matters more to us than any particular credential or prior experience. We are looking for someone who genuinely enjoys being part of a small team, who is naturally curious, who cares about producing good work, and who understands that in a small office, everyone picks up whatever needs to be done. We trust our people to manage their time and responsibilities like professionals, and we expect that trust to go both ways.

We also handle sensitive legal and governmental matters involving elected officials, public employees, and the people of Greenville County. Discretion is not optional. Candidates must understand that confidentiality extends well beyond formal attorney-client privilege communications.

We are not looking for perfection. We are looking for someone who works hard, exercises sound judgment, admits mistakes without drama, and improves. Someone who is proud of their work but not precious about it.

Legal Skills and Subject Matter

The ideal candidate is a seasoned, practical attorney who is at home in local or state government legal work and who brings real depth in several of the following areas:

• Zoning, land use, and land development regulation

• South Carolina Freedom of Information Act

• Code enforcement and ordinance prosecution

• Legislative process and parliamentary procedure, including Mason’s Manual

• Local government law generally, including an understanding of county government structure and operations in South Carolina

Breadth matters here. This office handles a wide variety of legal questions, and the Deputy must be willing and able to work across subject matter areas without defaulting to excessive research when practical judgment will serve the client better.

Litigation

The Deputy must be prepared to handle litigation independently, including appearing in magistrate’s court, circuit court, and the appellate courts on behalf of Greenville County without close supervision. Prior litigation experience, including courtroom experience, is preferred.

Professional Attributes

• Practical instincts on legal problems — someone who gives clients a usable answer, not just a thorough tour of the uncertainty

• Sound judgment on when a matter warrants deep research versus when it calls for experienced common sense

• Strong written and oral communication skills

• Genuine interest in mentoring less experienced attorneys and staff

• Ability to work with real autonomy and handle a varied, fast-moving workload

• Good parliamentary instincts and a willingness to advise deliberative bodies in real time

Qualifications

Active membership in the South Carolina Bar is required. Candidates not currently admitted will not be considered.

Completion of the South Carolina Rule 403 trial observation requirement is also required prior to hire.

We are looking for candidates with 10 to 15 years of practice and significant experience in local government, state government, or both. Candidates with strong parliamentary or legislative experience are particularly encouraged to apply.

A Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school is required.

All candidates must apply through the Greenville County website using the link provided. No email submissions will be processed.