Carolyn Thompson has been appointed as the new County Attorney for Guilford County Government, with her tenure beginning on February 2, 2026. The announcement was made by the Guilford County Board of Commissioners.
Attorney Thompson brings over twenty-seven years of experience in law and the judiciary. Her background includes roles as a District Court Judge and Resident Superior Court Judge for North Carolina’s 9th Judicial District, as well as serving on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Most recently, she held a quasi-judicial position as Deputy Commissioner for the North Carolina Industrial Commission, where she presided over workers’ compensation cases.
She also managed her own private practice for more than a decade while serving as County Attorney for the Department of Social Services in Vance and Warren counties. In these roles, she oversaw legal matters related to child welfare and child support enforcement. Additionally, Thompson worked as in-house counsel for Warren County, advising commissioners on issues such as employment law, risk management, and county governance.
“I am honored to join the Guilford County leadership team and contribute to the advancement of the ‘One Guilford’ initiative for the benefit of all residents,” said Attorney Thompson.
Chairman Alston commented on her appointment: “Attorney Thompson brings exceptional legal expertise, integrity, and public-service experience to this role. We are confident that her leadership will strengthen our organization and support the Board and County staff in advancing our goals.”
Thompson earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminal Justice from Hampton University in Virginia and received her Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law. As County Attorney, she will serve as chief legal counsel to both the Board of Commissioners and lead the County Attorney’s Office. Her responsibilities include managing civil matters involving contracts, property transactions, public records, local ordinances, employment issues, litigation, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations.
The office provides legal support across all county departments through a team that includes Deputy and Assistant County Attorneys who specialize in areas such as child welfare, social services, employment law, land use issues, and general government law. Thompson will oversee this team along with administrative staff.
The Board expressed anticipation about working with Attorney Thompson as she joins Guilford County’s leadership team.
In related news about education within Guilford County schools during the 2022-23 academic year:
– Of 4,759 senior students who took the science portion of the ACT exam in district schools, 22.3% were considered college-ready according to data from state education authorities (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
– Among junior students taking science ACTs (4,811 tested), 21.4% met college readiness benchmarks (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
– For reading ACT results among seniors (4,759 tested), 30.8% reached college readiness standards (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/), while juniors saw a rate of 28.2% out of 4,811 test-takers (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
– Math ACT results showed that 23.7% of seniors (out of 4,759) were ready for college-level work (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/), compared to 21.1% among juniors (out of 4,811) (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
