A lot of people from all over the country were considered during a nationwide search that High Point officials are calling “competitive.”

In the end, the City of High Point named Meghan Maguire –  a City of  High Point deputy attorney who’s worked for both the City of Tampa and the City of Winston-Salem – as the new city attorney.

Maguire, who’s been deputy attorney for about four and a half years  will start serving in her new role immediately.

Having worked for both the Tampa and Winston-Salem early in her career, she stated that she had always hoped to return to municipal government work – and she took that opportunity in 2019 when she joined the High Point’s legal staff.

In her tenure there, she has served as assistant city attorney, deputy city attorney and, most recently, as interim city attorney.

The High Point city attorney serves as the city’s chief legal advisor and is appointed by, and answers to, the High Point City Council.   Many of the conversations the council has with the attorney are held in closed session as is permitted by law.

Maguire, who began her career working in-house for a non-profit agency, has about a dozen years of experience practicing law in North Carolina. She has served in private practice with Winston-Salem based firm Blanco-Tackabery, where she provided advice and counsel on things like administrative law, regulatory compliance, commercial real estate law and environmental law.

High Point Mayor Jay Wagner said this week that the council is very pleased with its hire.

“Her experience and familiarity with our organization will serve us well as we continue to grow and make policy decisions that impact our community,” Wagner said.

Maguire said she’s “honored and humbled” at being chosen.

In a prepared statement, she complimented the city: “For more than four years,” she said, “I have worked for the City of High Point and witnessed firsthand its creativity, collaboration and dedication to making things happen. I believe that what we create here changes the world and am excited to begin my tenure as city attorney to both serve and lead this remarkable community.”

She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Wake Forest University, where she majored in sociology and double minored in history and women’s studies. She earned her law degree from Stetson University College of Law and her Master of Laws degree in Law and Government from American University Washington College of Law.

She’s also an alumna of the University of North Carolina School of Government Municipal and County Administration course.

Maguire is well travelled in life. She lived in seven eastern states before moving to central North Carolina in 1988.

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