Federal Position Descriptions
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General Counsel

General Counsel, Central Intelligence Agency
Responsibility
Management Scope

The OGC at CIA is responsible for a variety of policy, operational and administrative legal matters and the GC must be able to exercise management over a broad array of legal portfolios and oversee a staff of 100 attorneys. Additionally, the GC has three deputies overseeing operations, litigations and management of personnel and the chief of staff.

Primary Responsibilities

• Manages the Office of the General Counsel.
• Provides legal advice and guidance to the agency and to the Director of the CIA.
• Advises the director on all legal matters relating to his statutory responsibilities and his role as head of the CIA.
• Provides advice and guidance to those officers and employees within the CIA who have specific responsibility for the conduct of intelligence activities.

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

• Strong legal background with knowledge of the national security field.
• Experience working on complicated policy and administrative issues.
• Experience working on matrixed teams and with a cross- section of senior executives.

Competencies

• Strategic Orientation: Demonstrates complex thinking abilities, incorporating both analytical and conceptual abilities to manage and develop legal plans and strategies.
• Results Orientation: Demonstrated ability to be proactive, exercise independent judgment and manage multiple projects simultaneously. A strong work ethic and a track record of producing high quality work under deadline pressures.
• Team Leadership: Experience effectively managing geographically-dispersed staff of legal and administrative support professionals.
• Collaboration & Influencing: Proven track record of creating and managing relationships with peer executives inside the organization, outside counsel and third parties/institutions.
• Ability to handle sensitive matters.

Past Appointments
  • Courtney Simmons Elwood (2017 to present) – Partner at Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, PLLC; Deputy Chief of Staff and Counselor to the Attorney General; Law Clerk to Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist on the Supreme Court
  • Caroline D. Krass (2014 to 2017) – General Counsel for American International Group; Partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP; Acting Assistant Attorney General and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the Department of Justice
  • Stephen Preston (2009 to 2013) – Partner at WilmerHale; General Counsel of the Department of Defense; General Counsel of the Navy; Deputy Assistant Attorney General at DOJ
  • Scott W. Muller (2002 to 2004) – Partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell; Assistant United States Attorney in the southern District of New York; Watergate Special Prosecution Force; Law Clerk to the Honorable Francis L. Van Dusen on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
AGENCY

Central Intelligence Agency

Mission: To preempt threats and further U.S. national security objectives by collecting intelligence that matters, producing objective all-source analysis, conducting effective covert action as directed by the president and safeguarding the secrets that help keep our nation safe.

COMPENSATION

Level IV $158,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)1

REPORTS TO

Director of the CIA

SENATE COMMITTEE

Intelligence

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Footnote
  1. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260, December 27 ,2020), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials through January 1, 2022. The compensation information is based on guidance from the Office of Personnel Management and can be accessed here. If you are selected for this position, please consult the agency’ HR representative for further guidance on compensation.
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