Federal Position Descriptions
Print

Assistant Attorney General Legislative Affairs

Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legislative Affairs, Department of Justice
Responsibility
Management Scope

In 2015, DOJ had 112,100 full-time equivalents and an annual budget of $33.136 billion. In 2012, Office of Legislative Affairs had approximately 25 full-time staff, which includes attorneys who work on legislation, oversight and correspondence, as well as support staff.

Primary Responsibilities

• Advises appropriate department components on the development of legislation initiated by the department, by other parts of the executive branch, or by members of Congress.
• Develops and implements strategies to advance the department’s legislative initiatives and other interests relating to Congress.
• Articulates the department’s position on legislation proposed by Congress.
• Coordinates the department’s responses to congressional committee oversight requests and other inquiries from individual members and congressional staff.
• Facilitates the appearance of department witnesses at congressional hearings.
• Participates in the Senate confirmation process for federal judges and Department nominees, such as Assistant Attorneys General and United States Attorneys.
• Manages the interagency clearance process led by OMB.
• Coordinates and manages legislative affairs offices of all DOJ components (FBI, DEA, ATF, BOP and others) to ensure consistency of message.
• Maintains a consistent presence on Capitol Hill to manage relationship with key members.
• Works closely with White House Office of Legislative Affairs on implementing the president’s agenda.

Strategic Goals and Priorities
[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration.]
Requirements

• Law degree
• Hill experience and a comprehensive understanding of how Congress works
• Strong congressional relationships, particularly with Judiciary committees
• Political acumen and experience with congressional oversight and hearing preparation
• Management focused

Competencies

• Proven crisis management abilities
• Ability to work across party lines

Past Appointments
  • Peter Kadzik (2014 to 2017) – Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legislative Affairs; Partner, Dickstein Shapiro LLP; Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia; Clerk for Judge Thomas Flannery on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
  • Judith Appelbaum (2012 to 2014) (Acting) – Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legislative Affairs; Director of Programs, American Constitution Society; Vice President, National Women’s Law Center
  • Ronald Weich (2009 to 2012) – Chief Counsel, Senator Harry Reid; Partner, Zuckerman Spaeder LLP; Chief Counsel, Senator Edward M. Kennedy; Special Counseling, United States Sentencing Commission; Assistant District Attorney, Office of Manhattan District Attorney
  • William Moschella (2003 to 2006) – Chief Legislative Counsel and Parliamentarian, Committee on the Judiciary, United States House of Representatives; Chief Investigative Counsel, Committee on the Judiciary, United States House of Representatives; Legal Attaché, Office of the U.S. Ambassador to Estonia, U.S. Embassies and Foreign Service Posts; General Counsel, Committee on Rules, United States House of Representatives
  • Robert Raben (1999 to 2001) – Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General; Democratic counsel for the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property; Democratic counsel for the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution
AGENCY

Department of Justice

Mission: To enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law, ensure public safety against foreign and domestic threats, provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime, seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior and ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.

COMPENSATION

Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)1

REPORTS TO

The Attorney General through the Deputy Attorney General (though meets with the Attorney General on a regular basis)

SENATE COMMITTEE

Judiciary

Appointee Tracker

Check out our Political Appointee Tracker

Go to the tracker
Footnote
  1. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.
More federal position descriptions