Nothing Could Be Finer?: The Role of Agency General Counsel in North and South Carolina

This Article examines the role of agency general counsel in North and South Carolina. The two states offer a rich comparative context for research on agency general counsel. Though closely linked in both name and culture, they have different executive structures and recent political histories, and the agency counseling function has evolved and is currently organized in different ways. These structural and political differences at the state level illuminate commonalities and differences at the agency level and provide an accessible starting point for broader state-level research.

Part I examines the structural evolution of the agency general counsel position and the functional division between in- house agency counsel and the Attorney General’s office. Part II examines the characteristics and career paths of lawyers who serve as agency general counsel and identifies sources of authority in their roles. Part III outlines questions for future research.