The mission of the Office of the General Counsel is to provide cost effective legal advice and representation of the highest quality to The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission as a corporate entity. Primary emphasis of the work program is providing proactive counsel, preventive advice and early intervention to support decision-makers with a clear picture of all their lawful options.

Duties

Under the direction of the General Counsel, the Office of the General Counsel (Legal Department) provides a comprehensive program of legal services to the Commission, supporting virtually every facet of the Commission's work program. The Office of the General Counsel (OGC):

• Advocates on the Commission's behalf in litigation before the State and Federal courts
• Guides the Commission's internal corporate operations; advises staff and the Planning Boards in judicial and regulatory responsibilities
• Participates in cross-functional teams assembled periodically to develop creative solutions to new challenges facing the Commission

Work Programs

The OGC's 4 work programs are:

• General Counsel
• Legislation
• Litigation
• Task Force Participation

Work Teams

To support these programs, staff attorneys are primarily grouped into 5 specialized work teams:

• Legislative Management
• Litigation and Employment Law
• Montgomery County Land Use
• Prince George's County Land Use
• Transactions Practice

Elements

Each team is assigned responsibility for work through a matrix management model that includes the following 11 functional elements:

• Administrative Litigation
• Advice (Counsel)
• Appellate Litigation
• Business Transactions
• Civil Trial Litigation
• Judicial Review Litigation
• Legislative Management
• Procurement Transactions
• Property Management Transactions
• Regulatory Transactions
• Support to Commission Hearings