Fort Bend County officials appointed a lead attorney to the civil division of the county's new legal department.
What you need to know
At an Oct. 8 meeting, Fort Bend County Commissioners appointed Sal P. LoPiccolo as the lead and managing attorney for the new legal department created in August to absorb some responsibilities previously allocated to the county attorney’s office.
LoPiccolo previously served as an assistant Fort Bend County attorney in litigation. He joined the county in 2015 after years of private practice and graduated from the University of Houston Law Center in 1987, according to his LinkedIn.
The department now has four staff members listed on the county's website, at least three of whom previously worked in the county attorney's office.
About the department
The new legal department houses responsibilities previously designated to the county attorney’s office, mainly non-litigation work, including:
Preparing and reviewing contracts and other legal documents
Providing legal guidance to elected officials and county staff
Handling responses to Open Records Requests under the Texas Public Information Act
Assisting with disaster response in emergencies
The county attorney’s office is still in charge of representing the county in civil matters, child protective services and civil commitments, said Dennis Spellman, a spokesperson for Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers.
“The new department is designed to help streamline the review of contracts and other county business, provide timely legal guidance, and support efficient, accountable decision-making,” staff from the Office of the Fort Bend County Judge wrote in a Facebook post announcing LoPiccolo’s appointment.
Also of note
In late September, a district judge ruled that the county cannot transfer employees from the county attorney’s office to the new Legal Department after County Attorney Bridgette Smith-Lawson challenged the department in court.
Although the new department is made up of former county attorney staff, it does not count as transferring employees because the county created new positions and allowed staff to apply, Spellman said.
This year's budget accounts for 11 total employees in the new department and 11 fewer in the County attorney’s office, according to agenda documents listing positions.
