Course Instructors
Tom Carruthers
Deputy General Counsel, NCLM
Tom Carruthers is the Deputy General Counsel with the NC League of Municipalities where he provides legal advice and support to League Departments, and Affiliates where he assists member local governments on legal, procedural and strategic issues. He also prepares and presents educational materials, and interprets and drafts legislation in support of local government issues.
Prior to joining the League, Tom served as Assistant County Attorney to the Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers. His areas of practice included civil litigation, public records requests, public contracting and advisor on First Amendment issues. Tom also served over four years as the City Attorney with the City of Greensboro and an additional five years as an Assistant City Attorney. In Greensboro, he provided critical legal guidance to the Mayor, City Council, and City Manager across numerous practice areas while he managed departmental legal resources including seven staff attorneys, five paralegals and assigned administrative staff.
Earlier in his career, Tom served as an Assistant District Attorney with the 24th Judicial District and has worked in private practice in civil litigation and business law.
Ben Mount
Senior Assistant General Counsel, NCLM
Ben Mount serves as Senior Assistant General Counsel with the NC League of Municipalities, where he provides legal advice and support to League Departments, assists member local governments on legal, procedural, and strategic issues, prepares and presents educational materials, and supports the League’s Amicus brief program.
Prior to joining the League, Ben served as Senior Associate City Attorney for the City of Raleigh, where he was the lead legal liaison for the City’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources. His areas of practice included real estate, condemnation litigation, public records requests, public contracting, and other areas of municipal law. In addition to serving multiple City departments, Ben provided legal guidance to the Mayor, City Council, and City Manager in various matters, including the City’s acquisition of Dorothea Dix Park from the State of North Carolina. Ben earned his Master of Public Administration degree from the UNC School of Government and his law degree from the UNC School of Law.
Vickie Miller
Learning and Development Director, NCLM
Vickie Miller is the Director of Learning and Development for the North Carolina League of Municipalities. Miller is Responsible for leading, managing, and delivering the League's training and education programs for elected and municipal officials. Miller has a distinguished career that has placed a focus on helping others. She has held many roles including Grassroots Coordinator for the NCLM, Executive Director for the 501(c)3 North Carolina Operation Lifesaver, and Director of Community Investment and Assistance where she oversaw the state Community Development Block Grant program for the North Carolina Department of Commerce with responsibility for an annual appropriation of $45 million and a grant and loan portfolio over $200 million.
Miller holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She holds the Certified Public Manager designation from the North Carolina State Office of Personnel, the Certified Housing Development Professional, the Certified Finance Development Professional from the National Development Council, and the County Municipal Administration certification from the UNC School of Government.