MESSAGE FROM THE CORPORATION COUNSEL

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Welcome to the Office of the Corporation Counsel Web Page.

Mission
The mission of the Office of the Corporation Counsel is to fairly prosecute those who violate the law, defend or initiate civil actions, protect the rights of the citizens of the District of Columbia, provide expert legal advice and counsel, and review and advise on commercial-style transactions for the benefit of the Government of the District of Columbia.
Vision
The vision of the Office of the Corporation Counsel is to inspire the trust and confidence of our client agencies and the citizens of the District of Columbia, to protect the most vulnerable members of our community, and to invest in the professional growth an development of our employees.
Values
Respect - Recognizing the diverse knowledge, skills, talents and contributions of all employees
Integrity - Professionalism, honesty and fairness in dealing with each other and the public
Openness - Free and open exchange of information and ideas
Innovation - Seeking, valuing and applying new ideas and approaches to meet our internal needs and those of our clients

Duties of the Corporation Counsel
The Corporation Counsel operates under the authority of D.C. Code § 1-361, which provides:
The Corporation Counsel shall be under the direction of the Mayor, and have charge and conduct of all law business of the said District, and all suits instituted by and against the government thereof. He [or she] shall furnish opinions in writing to the Mayor, whenever requested to do so. All requests for opinions shall be transmitted through the Mayor, and a record thereof kept, with the opinions, in the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Mayor. He [or she] shall perform such other professional duties as may be required of him [or her] by the Mayor.
The responsibilities of the Corporation Counsel include:
- prosecuting and defending civil litigation - in the D.C. Superior Court and U.S District Court for the District of Columbia - and appeals - in the D.C. Court of Appeals, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and U.S. Supreme Court
- prosecuting certain violations of criminal law, including all juvenile criminal cases, traffic infractions, and adult misdemeanor cases in the D.C. Superior Court, and defending appeals of these matters
- enforcing consumer protection laws when there is a pattern of abuse
- conducting or assisting with criminal investigations involving government fraud, recouping monies for the District
- enforcing the District's regulatory laws
- representing the District in child abuse and neglect cases and representing victims of intra-family domestic violence by obtaining civil protection orders and prosecuting related contempt of court matters in the D.C. Superior Court
- providing legal advice and opinions
- drafting and reviewing proposed legislation and rulemakings
- prosecuting all civil commitment matters in the D.C. Superior Court
- managing the District's complex litigation on receiverships and other major equity and programmatic cases, like those involving the Public Schools or environmental law matters
- serving as the District's legal counselor in financial transactions and bond issuances
- drafting, negotiating, and reviewing real estate lease agreements and procurement contracts
- defending tax collections
The Office of the Corporation Counsel is also the District's authorized federal IV-D agency. Generally, the Corporation Counsel and staff cannot provide legal advice or assistance to private citizens. Thus, the Office of the Corporation Counsel does not become involved with private disputes.
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