On Tuesday, Gwinnett County commissioners appointed William Linkous III to lead the county’s law department.

Law department attorneys represent the commissioners, other elected county officials, staff, authorities and related organizations on legal matters.

Linkous worked as a senior assistant county attorney for Gwinnett County early in his career and spent the intervening years in private practice and as counsel to several other local governments. From October 2001 to December 2008, he worked for DeKalb County, first as chief assistant county attorney and then as county attorney.

Linkous, who will be paid about $179,000 a year, replaces current acting county attorney Van Stephens.