General Law Legal Counsel

The General Law Division provides legal advice and counseling to GSA associates in fiscal and administrative law, legislation, employment and labor, child care, privacy rights, freedom of information and the Federal Advisory Committee Act.  The General Law Division represents the agency in matters before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Federal Labor Relations Authority involving GSA's Central Office.  Attorneys assist the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office with claims filed in federal court. The General Law Division also provides legal support to independent boards, commissions, and agencies.

The General Law Division's employment law group provides advice to GSA managers on employee discipline, union-management obligations, Title VII discrimination, and sexual harassment. The General Law Division strives to resolve labor relations and employment matters in an expeditious manner whenever possible.

The General Law Division's fiscal and administrative law group advises on authorities of the agency, fiscal policy, budget, debt collection, non-contract claims against the agency and interagency agreements.

The General Law Division is responsible for managing the agency's alternative dispute resolution (ADR) program. The General Law Division's attorneys coordinate and conduct the agency's nationwide ADR training program.  The General Law Division represents GSA in interagency ADR working groups.

In addition to the above responsibilities, the General Law Division also manages the agency's ethics program through its Ethics Law Staff. The Ethics Law Staff consists of two attorneys and one support staff. Its responsibilities include implementation of applicable ethics laws and regulations; establishment of uniform policies and procedures to resolve conflict of interest situations; implementation of uniform procedures and standards for review of financial disclosure reports; and implementation of GSA-wide ethics training program.