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Office of the General Counsel

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) integrates approximately 1700 lawyers from throughout the Department into an effective, client-oriented, full-service legal team.

The Office of the General Counsel comprises a headquarters office with subsidiary divisions and the legal programs for eight Department components.

Each headquarters division is led by an associate general counsel. Each component legal program, including the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, is led by a chief counsel or equivalent.

The associate general counsel and component chief counsel report to the Department’s general counsel.

Mission

The general counsel serves as the chief legal officer for the Department of Homeland Security, providing legal advice to the Secretary and Department leadership. The general counsel is also responsible for ensuring that Departmental activities fully comply with all legal requirements, as well as establishing that the Department’s efforts to secure the nation are consistent with the civil rights and liberties of our citizens and observe the rule of law.

To accomplish this broad mission, OGC attorneys must be involved in nearly every aspect of Department activities. 

The Office of the General Counsel

• identifies legal requirements applicable to existing Department initiatives and operations,
• participates in the crafting of policy and promulgation of regulations,
• reviews proposed legislation, and
• assists in operational initiative planning.

Attorneys in the Office of the General Counsel provide indispensable contributions to the continued security of America’s homeland while defending Americans’ personal freedoms. 

Career Opportunities

The Office of the General Counsel provides numerous employment opportunities for legal professionals, including career positions for experienced attorneys, an Honors Attorney Program for entry level attorneys, and legal internships and externships for law students.

This page was last modified on November 1, 2007