Office of General Counsel (OGC)

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal advice to DOJ’s many divisions and programs, and also oversees compliance efforts across DOJ. In addition, OGC provides risk management, information security, and research services for DOJ. This work directly supports DOJ’s critical legal, law enforcement, and public safety functions.

Office of General Counsel – Legal Unit

The Office of General Counsel Legal Unit (OGC Legal) is a legal section that performs OGC’s legal work. Although most of DOJ’s attorneys represent clients or the People in external-facing roles, OGC Legal is primarily focused on reducing risk and strengthening programs within DOJ. OGC Legal attorneys provide legal services to DOJ programs, in areas that include but are not limited to: the Public Records Act; rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act; professional ethics and financial conflicts; contracting and procurement; information security; and evidence preservation and discovery.

Office of Information Security and Research Services

The Office of Information Security and Research Services is led by DOJ’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). The office directs the development, implementation, and enforcement of DOJ’s information security and risk policies. It also handles digital forensic investigations and provides research services.

The office consists of the following sections:

  • Information Security Branch, which oversees DOJ’s information security and digital forensic programs:
    • Network Information Security Unit, which addresses information security vulnerabilities.
    • Office of Digital Investigations, which performs digital forensic investigation and preservation work.
  • Research Services Branch, which provides social science and statistical research services to, and on behalf of, DOJ.

Office of Program Oversight and Accountability

The Office of Program Oversight and Accountability (OPOA) is DOJ’s primary internal audit organization. Audit staff conduct independent and objective reviews of accounting and administrative controls of DOJ programs and operations. These reviews help to improve efficiencies and mitigate risks.