General Counsel

The NSA GC is an integral part of the Director of the National Security Agency's senior leadership team and a key advisor to NSA leadership at all levels. The NSA GC also serves as the public legal face for the Agency and, as such, the GC is often invited to speak at public events and to participate in public legal panels.

Specific Duties:

a. Interpret all statutes, Presidential Directives, and Executive and Legislative Branch regulations, and provide legal advice and counsel to the Director and Senior Leadership Team with respect to the authorities for NSA activities and conditions and restrictions thereon.

b. Provide legal advice so all of the Agency's assigned responsibilities can be conducted in accordance with the Constitution and applicable statutes, Executive Orders, and implementing regulations.

c. Advise 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.

d. Advise on all matters related to NSA's cybersecurity mission to include responsibilities that arise under National Security Directive 42 and applicable laws and policy directives.

e. Oversee all other legal services performed within the NSA to include acquisition, human resources, and other enabling functions as well as determining the adherence by attorneys to appropriate professional standards, subject to DOD Instruction 1442.02.

f. Keep the DOD GC currently apprised of all significant legal issues arising from NSA activities.

g. Represent the Agency on legal and public policy matters and serve as a liaison to other departments/agencies and, as appropriate, the Congress.

h. Provide legal reviews of NSA's support to U.S. Cyber Command, with particular emphasis on whether all such NSA support is properly authorized.

i. Conduct 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. Communicate directly with DOD OGC, other government agencies, and congressional committee staffs and members of Congress on legislative proposals, as appropriate.

j. Ensure that NSA leadership is informed of significant developments in the law, important judicial, administrative, or other decisions affecting the NSA enterprise, its people, or its resources.

k. Build partnerships with the public and private sectors and within the national security community to advance mission objectives.

l. Provide legal support to the Director, NSA.

m. Perform such other duties as the DOD GC, PDGC, SDGC, or DGC/I may prescribe.