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COUNTY, GA – DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson has appointed Terry G. Phillips as DeKalb County Attorney. His appointment has been confirmed by the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners.
As County Attorney, Phillips will lead the Law Department in representing DeKalb County and provide legal advice and counsel to the County’s governing authority, other elected and appointed officials, departments, boards and employees.
“Terry Phillips brings more than three decades of legal experience, institutional knowledge and an unwavering commitment to public service,” said CEO Cochran-Johnson. “Throughout his career, he has demonstrated sound judgment, integrity and a deep understanding of the complex legal matters facing county government. I am confident that his leadership will strengthen the Law Department and help us continue building an accountable, effective government that delivers results for the people of DeKalb County.”
Joining DeKalb in 1998, Phillips has served in numerous legal and leadership roles, including Assistant, Senior Assistant, Supervising, and Deputy County Attorney, Police Senior Staff Attorney, Court Administrator and Judge Pro Hac Vice in the Recorder’s Court, Assistant Director of Purchasing, Contracting and Legal Affairs, and Acting Contract Compliance Officer.
Phillips has advised County leadership on matters involving elections, public safety, human resources, procurement/contracts, SPLOST, E-HOST, HB 581, blight remediation, public works, intergovernmental relations, crises management and media relations, and compliance with Georgia’s open records and open meetings laws. He also advised the County during the unprecedented challenges of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and managing the 2020 and 2024 election cycles.
Examples of his notable accomplishments include helping negotiate the 2023 rewrite of the Grady Hospital Operating Agreement, writing the County’s first Purchasing Policies and Procedures Manual, and successfully defending the County and various officials in lawsuits at multiple levels of the courts. Phillips also helped develop the agreement that allowed DeKalb County to accept the John Lewis Memorial and negotiated improvements to the County’s emergency medical services contract.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve DeKalb County as County Attorney,” said Phillips. “I was raised in DeKalb, and it has been a privilege to represent this government and serve its residents throughout my career. I am grateful to CEO Cochran-Johnson for her confidence in me and to the Board of Commissioners for confirming my appointment. I look forward to leading the Law Department with integrity, professionalism and a continued commitment to excellent public service.”
A graduate of Southwest DeKalb High School, Phillips earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Howard University and a Juris Doctor from Louisiana State University. He also studied constitutional interpretation under United States Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun at the Université d’Aix-Marseille, Faculté de Droit, in Aix-en-Provence, France.
Phillips is a Certified Public Purchasing Officer and Certified Contract Compliance Officer. He has served as president of both the DeKalb Bar Association and the DeKalb Lawyers Association and is a graduate of Leadership DeKalb. He is an active member of Berean Christian Church, and he has volunteered in the community for all of his legal career. He and his wife have two children.
Photo via DeKalb county government.