ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION OF THE OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-00374R000100060006-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 26, 1999
• Sequence Number: 6
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Releage 2001/08/01 : CIA-RDP88-00374R000100060006-8
MORO= OpORGAIMATION MID PUICTICO
Orgenizatian end "%martial of the Office of the
General Couesel. Central Intelligence AgeneY
1.MilialOs? The General Counsel is responsible for all lwal affairs
tabit for legal aspects of all legislation effecting the Agency.
2.
ORGANIZATION.
a. The Office of the General Counsel was placed in 1950
in the Office of tbe Deputy Director (Administration). Prior
thereto it had reported directly to the Director. in view of
the fact that the legal function is not susceptible of admin-
istrative control and is evally.responeive to the. problem
saisdnistratiOn sisal oparates' tit. Mineral. Counsel still
reports directly to the Director *hen eppropriate but has
remained in the =Ise of the Deputy Director (Administration)
for administrative ?convenience.
b. The legislative remotion is separate from the strictly
3ngsl activities of the Office end le treated in a separate
paper. Otherwise* the Office is organised generally in the
manner of a private liar fins avallable for advice on legal
matters arising out of official business row ell components
of the Agency at all levels by direct inquiry.
e. All attorneys ere impacted to attain efficiency in
all aspects of the Agency's legal work* Oa there are no
specialists or attorneys caacentratieg exclusively in
particular fields. The oral types at assignments are
those arising out of separation in space an occasioual
special. requests of certain components. Thus, one senior
lawyer is normally occupied full tine with logistics
netters, particularly procurement arla contract problem,
but the various attorneys are rotated In and out of this
duty to prevent specialization.
d. Claesification of initial appointments Is based on
ecathination of education* bachgroundi and legal ?variance.
Promotion is based on demonstrated ability -to apply legal
This document has baen.
approved for release through
the HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRM
the Central Intelligence Agency.
Date r ,
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knafiaedge elereative3.7 to the particular protaelas of the
A. The theory of the orgenization Ia to maintain a
meU group of experienced severeas practitioners any one
of vim can give bound legal whine u. of last
*rising out of - ? bon
a. The present General Counsel est his Deputy have
occupied. their present positions with this and zoredece.saor
agencies since 19411-. Their biogreplacal sketches end
those of other senior attorneys are attached as Appendix A.
3. PUNCTIONS. Inavvesch as the reeponeibilities of the General
Counsels* Office for leg1 aside* reeds to ell activities
of the Agency, protases mormomtered. *over all &meats of the
law. Dm attempt will be made to give a =owlets description,
but an indication of acne of the problems peculiar to this
Agency is set forth below:
a? The Central. Dstelligence Avner was established by
statute, so the basic 3Aigisl function is the interpretation
at the applicable statutes? sot?*AU .410:1441049A ,1110607
problems. Involved here too Writ the ceeditct of relation.
ships with the Congress end the special problem of the legal
becagtound involved in the release of inforeetion to the
Ccogress, which are covered in-wester detail in a separate
peper. The relations with the other Woo* of. the Caverneent,
the Judiciary, have also berans, laatter or much study, and
there has been see test case In the N'Olottst Courts with
inconclusive results as to the riot of tut Marts to etsVel
testimony by employees of On unier eireuvestainces velure
confidential relations =tat.
b. Within the Agency there are many prObliase normal to
all (kovernment egenties itbiebr =wet? special legal, questions
became of the very wide maths:Attee end exprigtdons granted
to this Agency by the Congress. In the fielCof personnel,
there is for consideration the Direatorts etstivassity, wipsta he
deems it in the national interest, to elaDleYee
in. the Agency. This involves various cons CIOS of
relationsh* to the Presidentss loyalty end ty Program,
the inOteetielitis of the Veterans Preference end the
establishment of procedures designed, to assure the rights of
any employee considered ender this tertsisstiOn authority.
e. Zs the fiscal Mail the Co:agrees gave the Agency
very Vida pavers, thereby creating mew a problem.
The normal laws and regulations applying to oLigation,
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expenditure, certification, accounting, iltpoed approriationa?
end sintllnr technical matters must he adjusted to the extent
necessary to meet the special recuirements of thiu Asency.
The question of the teed for and, the extent of such adjustment
is frequently for consideration 'by this Office,
z.1 zr?tv
The rt Lk of the work of the Office of the
Ottt af covert activitieeo.
Here every type of legal
prIblem arises and *3 Office is responsible for guidance
not only on the internal aspects but .lso on the outside
Iegal implicationao Agency aativ1tia4 carried out throu8h
Govarnment facilities. Thus* an agent's cover contractual
f. In ell its aspects, internal and external, the
Office of the General Counael performs a purely staff
function. It ba mocommand or directive reupons1bi11t1eG.
LAW*111=L 110LtS 'PON
Ge.nc.-rel Co el
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