Chief Counsel

Chief Counsel, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

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The Chief Counsel of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) supervises approximately 130 attorneys in the Washington headquarters and in the four District offices. The OCC is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury engaged in the supervision of the national banking system.

The Office of the Chief Counsel consists of seven legal practice areas located in the Washington headquarters office and four general practice offices in each of the four district office locations. The Bank Activities and Structure Division is responsible for corporate and operational issues relating to banking organizations such as branching, mergers, lending, and ownership of real and personal property. The Community and Consumer Law Division provides legal interpretation and advice on consumer protection, fair lending and community reinvestment issues. The Enforcement and Compliance Division is responsible for handling enforcement actions, including civil money penalties, suspensions and removals cease and desist orders, and other administrative enforcement actions to assure compliance with federal banking laws by national banks and officials.

The Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division prepares and reviews proposed banking legislation and regulations and advise on related legal issues and is the focal point for legal issues relating to foreign banks' operations in the United States, U.S. banks' operations abroad.  The Litigation Division is primarily responsible for representing the Comptroller and OCC employees in federal and, where necessary, state court proceedings. The Securities and Corporate Practices Division administers and enforces the federal securities and national banking laws that affect the securities and corporate activities of national banks relating to securities, insurance, annuities, derivatives, corporate governance, shareholder rights, and fiduciary activities of national banks. The Administrative and Internal Law Division is responsible for matters relating to the OCC's operation as a federal agency.

Additional information on the OCC Chief Counsel's Office may be found at the OCC web site: http://www.occ.gov/law.htm.

Last Updated: September 18, 2006