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GREENSBORO — City Manager Mitchell Johnson has pulled a former full-time employee out of retirement to become the city's top lawyer.

After an interview with City Council on Tuesday night, Johnson appointed Terry Wood to be the new city attorney.

Wood replaces former city attorney Linda Miles, who retired last year.

"I'm going to do my best to serve the city," he said.

Wood grew up in Charlotte. He graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and from UNC's law school with honors.

He worked in Hickory before coming to Greensboro, where he was a part of the legal department for 22 years.

Wood retired last June, but continued to work on a part-time basis.

"Terry's a longtime professional. He's a steady hand," Johnson said. "When it comes to municipal law, he knows it as well as anybody."

Wood assumes this responsibility at a time when the council is paying careful attention to the legal department's activities.

The council voted earlier this year to ask the General Assembly to change the rules so that the city attorney reports directly to the city council instead of the city manager.

That's an indication that at least some council members would like more control over the legal department.

The council also has been working with city attorneys to resolve a number of lawsuits or complaints brought by city employees, notably the equal opportunity employment complaints filed by police officers and parks and recreation employees.

Council members have questioned the amount of money the city has been spending on outside attorney fees for issues such as lawsuits, and they have questioned whether the department's attorneys can handle more of that work themselves.

On Tuesday night, council members congratulated Wood with handshakes and hugs.

Wood said he was glad to come out of retirement to take the city's top legal position.

"I certainly appreciate the responsibility you have given me," Wood told the council members. "I will strive to make you folks happy."

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com