Chief Counsel

Chief Counsel, Bureau of Engraving and Printing

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The Chief Counsel of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is responsible for providing legal advice and assistance to the Bureau's Director and other Bureau officials. BEP has a headquarters and stamp and currency production facility located in Washington, D.C., and also has a currency production facility in Fort Worth, TX. The BEP Chief Counsel office includes attorneys plus support staff in the Washington, D.C. and Fort Worth offices.

BEP is responsible for producing currency for the Federal Reserve System and for producing other security documents for Federal agencies, including postage stamps for the United States Postal Service. BEP funds its operations through the use of an industrial revolving fund. Under specific statutory authority which established the revolving fund, BEP charges its customers the cost of producing the security documents it produces, along with amounts for overhead and capital improvement. The Bureau has about 2600 employees. Many of those employees are in prevailing wage system steel and die craft occupations. There are 15 unions that represent those employees, production support personnel, BEP Police, and clerical and administrative staff.

The Office of the Chief Counsel provides advice to BEP in areas including labor-management and employee relations, Government contract law, Federal employee ethics, environmental law, occupational safety and health, and administrative law. In addition, the Chief Counsel's Office plays a primary role in all litigation arising before administrative tribunals and the courts where BEP is a party.