The Counsel to the Inspector General serves as the senior legal and policy adviser to the Inspector General, Deputy Inspector General, and the Assistant Inspectors General. The Counsel has responsibility for all legal work in the Office of the Inspector General. The Office of Counsel, which is located in Washington, D.C., is staffed with an Assistant Counsel, a paralegal, and an office manager.
The Role of the Office of Counsel
The Office of Counsel provides legal advice on issues arising during the statutorily mandated investigative, oversight, and audit activities conducted by the Offices of Investigations and Audit. In addition, the Office of Counsel provides legal advice on issues concerning government contracts, appropriations, budget formulation and execution, disclosure, records retention, tax information safeguards, equal employment opportunity, and personnel law. The office represents the OIG in administrative proceedings before the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and provides support to the Department of Justice in OIG-related litigation.
The office is also responsible for managing the OIG ethics program, which includes financial disclosure, training, and advice on the governing law and regulations. In the area of disclosure law, the Office of Counsel manages the OIGs Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act programs. The Office of Counsel also coordinates information requests from Congress, other agencies, the media and public, as well as responding to Giglio requests from the Department of Justice for information on Treasury personnel.
