The general counsel oversees an office of approximately 100 attorneys and support staff.3
• Serves as part of the NSA director’s senior leadership team, and as key advisor to NSA leadership at all levels.
• Acts as the public legal face for the NSA.
• Speaks at public events and participates in public legal panels.
• Serves as the chief legal officer and as the final legal authority in NSA on all matters arising within or referred to NSA.
• Is responsible for legal oversight of all NSA activities to ensure NSA operations are conducted lawfully.
• Interacts with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Justice and other general counsels of the intelligence community regarding legal issues that involve the intelligence community.
• Interacts with the congressional committee counsel.
• Interprets all statutes, presidential directives, and executive and legislative branch regulations, and provides legal advice and counsel to the director and senior leadership team.
• Advises on all matters relating to the collection, retention, processing and dissemination of signals intelligence. information carried out by NSA or as part of the unified organization for signals intelligence activities that the director of NSA has established.
• Provides legal reviews of NSA support to the U.S. Cyber Command, with particular emphasis on whether all such NSA support is properly authorized.
• Conducts NSA’s legislative initiative program, which may include drafting proposed legislation; developing the agency’s position on pending legislation and executive orders; preparing reports to Congress on legislative proposals; and advising on implementation of new statutes.
• Provides testimony at congressional hearings and special briefings to members of Congress and their staffs concerning any legal questions relating to NSA, as appropriate.
• Builds partnerships with the public and private sectors and within the national security community to advance mission objectives.4