State attorneys general represent and defend state actions and legal proceedings, while also appointing assistant attorneys general as counsel for state agencies, boards, and commissions.
She and her lawyers write numerous letters and memoranda to state officials outlining legal issues; only those that undergo the review process and become part of an Opinion of the Attorney General become official opinions.
Office of the Attorney General
The Attorney General serves as chief legal officer of the State and heads up its Department of Law. In addition to prosecuting cases on behalf of the State, this individual provides legal advice and opinions to Governor and heads of state agencies as well as serving ex officio membership of boards and commissions as ex-officio member and defending challenges to State laws or lawsuits brought against departments, offices or individuals within state government.
Attorney General James prioritizes protecting vulnerable communities. She has taken on predatory landlords and manufacturers of lead paint; held polluters accountable in response to opioid overdose deaths; and safeguarded New Yorkers’ access rights for reproductive healthcare services.
Michael joined our office as a staff attorney in 2016, serving as senior counsel in civil rights, consumer protection, and antitrust enforcement matters. He holds both a B.A. with honors from University of Washington and J.D. (with high honors) from Lewis & Clark Law School.
Office of the Solicitor General
The Office of the Solicitor General represents government appeals before the United States Supreme Court, including filing petitions seeking review of decisions adverse to it and filing briefs opposing such reviews. Most cases brought before the Court by this Office are personally argued before Justice O’Connor; staff attorneys, Deputy Solicitors and Assistants to the Solicitor General help prepare these cases as well.
Additionally, the Office of the Solicitor General prepares and files amicus curiae briefs in cases of national significance to which Massachusetts is not party, advocating its position on legal and constitutional matters that impact all Americans.
A solicitor general’s mission is to represent the long-term institutional interests of their Department in submissions made to the Court. For this to occur effectively, their Office must be given freedom to present its current views of law to the Court – even if these may differ from previous positions held by Solicitor General.
Office of the Special Prosecutor
In 1978, Congress enacted the Ethics in Government Act to create a formal process for selecting special prosecutors (later renamed independent counsels) to investigate notable events. Over the years, several high-profile independent counsels conducted investigations of major scandals such as Watergate and Iran-Contra, allowing justice to prevail against injustice.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor investigates and prosecutes corruption-related cases when local prosecutors are disqualified, such as public corruption involving state funds, environmental crime or identity theft. Additionally, this office investigates potential violations of Hatch Act provisions, civil service laws or whistleblower protection statutes.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor protects New York’s vulnerable residents by targeting predatory landlords who harm tenants with lead paint, and companies polluting air and natural resources. Prosecuters also help families collect court-ordered child support payments and collaborate with federal law enforcement against violent crime and gun violence, while supporting an inclusive criminal justice system and offering alternatives to imprisonment for drug offenders.
Office of the Inspector General
The Office of Inspector General is dedicated to combatting waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in federal programs – such as Medicare and Medicaid from Health and Human Services as well as over 100 others from other Departments – such as Medicare and Medicaid. They investigate tips or complaints and take criminal, civil or administrative legal actions with their law enforcement partners when necessary.
The Attorney General and her team provide essential services to New Yorkers by upholding laws to safeguard consumers, tenants, workers, patients, investors, charitable donors and the state environment. Their office also works tirelessly on behalf of vulnerable New Yorkers such as providing access to reproductive healthcare or dismantling gun trafficking rings.
The Office of the Inspector General is one of 68 Inspector General offices operating independently from their parent agencies in the US and is appointed by President with Senate advice and consent. Information shared and coordinated through Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency is shared among these IG offices.
