§ 1–608.51a. Establishment of the Mayor’s Office of Legal Counsel.

(a) Pursuant to § 1-204.04(b), the Council establishes the Mayor’s Office of Legal Counsel, within the executive branch of the District of Columbia government. The office shall be headed by a Director who shall be appointed by the Mayor and serve at the Mayor’s pleasure.

(b)(1) The purposes of the Mayor’s Office of Legal Counsel shall include:

(A) Coordinating the hiring, compensation, training, and resolution of significant personnel-related issues for subordinate agency counsel in conjunction with agency directors;

(B) Providing legal and policy advice to the Mayor and executive branch;

(D) Overseeing the representation of agencies in investigative matters before the executive branch of the federal government, Congress, or the Council of the District of Columbia; and

(E) Supervising outside counsel in matters where the Office of the Attorney General is recused from a matter or otherwise not available.

(2) The Director shall employ attorneys and support staff to assist in carrying out the purposes of the office. At least one staff member shall have as one of his or her primary duties the management of issues arising from subordinate agency general counsel-related matters.

(Mar. 3, 1979, D.C. Law 2-139, § 851a; as added Dec. 13, 2013, D.C. Law 20-60, § 101(a), 60 DCR 15487.)

Effect of Amendments

The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 20-60 added this section.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) amendment of D.C. Law 20-60, § 401(a), see §§ 1013, 1014(b), and 1014(c) of the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-377, July 14, 2014, 61 DCR 7598, 20 STAT 3696).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of D.C. Law 20-60, § 401(a), see §§ 1013, 1014(b), and 1014(c) of the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-449, October 10, 2014, 61 DCR 10915, 20 STAT 4188).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of D.C. Law 20-60, § 401(a), see §§ 1013, 1014(b), and 1014(c) of the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Second Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-566, Jan. 9, 2015, 62 DCR 884, 21 STAT 541).

For temporary (90 days) repeal of D.C. Law 20-155, § 1014(c), see § 7002 of the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21-127, July 27, 2015, 62 DCR 10201).

Editor's Notes

Applicability of D.C. Law 20-60: Section 401(a) of D.C. Law 20-60 provided that § 101 of the act shall apply as of October 1, 2014.

Applicability of D.C. Law 20-60: Section 1013 of D.C. Law 20-155 amended D.C. Law 20-60 to provide that D.C. Law 20-60, § 101, shall apply as of October 1, 2018; Section 1014(b) of D.C. Law 20-155 amended D.C. Law 20-60 to provide that D.C. Law 20-60, § 101, shall apply as of October 1, 2014.

Applicability of D.C. Law 20-155: Section 1014(c) of D.C. Law 20-155 provided that § 1014 of the act shall apply upon the inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, as certified by the Chief Financial Officer to the Budget Director of the Council in a certification published by the Council in the District of Columbia Register.

Section 7002 of D.C. Law 21-36 repealed D.C. Law 20-155, § 1014(c).