The County Attorney is appointed by the Board of County Commissioners and is directly responsible to the Board. This office is not part of the judicial branch of County government.

The Pinellas County Charter provides that the office of county attorney shall be responsible for the representation of county government, the board of county commissioners, the county administrator, constitutional officers and all other departments, divisions, regulatory boards and advisory boards of county government in all legal matters relating to their official responsibilities. The office of county attorney shall prosecute and defend all civil actions for and on behalf of county government and shall review all ordinances, resolutions, contracts, bonds and other written instruments.