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Office
of the Chief Counsel
for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Welcome
Welcome to the web page of the Office of the Chief Counsel
for NIST. Attorney and support staff efforts within our
office support our client agency, which is directly
related to advancing the scientific and technical capabilities of the
commercial infrastructure of the United States. Legal services performed
in support of management are related to intellectual property management and
scientific research management.
The Department of Commerce is widely known for performance
of world-class scientific research at the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), with locations in Gaithersburg,
Maryland and Boulder, Colorado. Attorneys and staff detailed to this institution
report to the Chief Counsel for NIST Henry N. Wixon.
We look forward to interacting with citizen-customers of NIST and to continuing client-centered legal services to agency management.
Office Description
The Office of the Chief Counsel for NIST provides intellectual property
counsel and representation to the Department of Commerce, and legal guidance,
representation and management assistance to its 3,000-employee National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In this role it interacts with principal developers and
users of research, including private and public laboratories, universities,
corporations and governments. The office is directed by Chief Counsel
Henry N. Wixon and Deputy Chief Counsel Melissa J. Lieberman.
Highlights
The Office of the Chief Counsel for NIST provided extensive legal support to its client in its implementation of
the National
Construction Safety Team (NCST) Act, including NIST’s investigation
into the World Trade Center disaster. The Office of NIST Counsel drafted
and processed three Federal Register notices announcing implementing procedures.
It negotiated and drafted agreements to enable the WTC investigation team
to obtain the necessary evidence and reviewed all contracts awarded for
the investigation.
The Office of the Chief Counsel for NIST provides programmatic legal support to the
Director of NIST. The office includes the Chief Counsel for NIST and four other
attorneys. The office is located on the NIST Gaithersburg site.
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