2023 District of Columbia Code › Title 1 - Government Organization › Chapter 6 - Merit Personnel System › Subchapter VIII-B - Government Attorneys › Part A - General › § 1–608.52. Creation of the Legal Service

§ 1–608.52. Creation of the Legal Service.
There is established within the District government a Legal Service for the Council, independent agencies, and subordinate agencies to ensure that the law business of the District government is responsive to the needs, policies, and goals of the District and is of the highest quality. In order to improve the quality and timeliness of the legal services that support the lawful activities, objectives, and policies of the District government, all attorneys who perform work primarily as or for the General Counsels of the subordinate agencies shall become employees of the subordinate agencies they advise.
(Mar. 3, 1979, D.C. Law 2-139, § 852; as added Apr. 20, 1999, D.C. Law 12-260, § 2(j), 46 DCR 1318; Oct. 20, 2005, D.C. Law 16-33, § 3012(b), 52 DCR 7503; Dec. 13, 2013, D.C. Law 20-60, § 101(b), 60 DCR 15487; Apr. 1, 2017, D.C. Law 21-232, § 2(f), 64 DCR 876.)
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 1-609.52.
Section References
This section is referenced in § 1-608.62.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 16-33 rewrote the section, which had read as follows: “There is established within the District government a Legal Service for independent and subordinate agencies to ensure that the law business of the District government is responsive to the needs, policies, and goals of the District and is of the highest quality. In order to improve the quality and timeliness of the legal services that support the lawful activities, objectives, and policies of the District government, this subchapter shall vest in the Corporation Counsel supervisory authority of attorneys employed by the subordinate agencies.”
The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 20-60 substituted “all attorneys who perform work primarily as or for the General Counsels of the subordinate agencies shall become employees of the subordinate agencies they advise” for “all attorneys who perform work for subordinate agencies shall become employees of the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia” in the second sentence.
Emergency Legislation
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(f) of Council Independent Authority Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-29, Mar. 27, 2017, 64 DCR 3077).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(f) of Council Independent Authority Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-551, Dec. 6, 2016, 63 DCR 15022).
For temporary addition of subchapter, see note to § 1-608.51.
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 3012(b) of Fiscal Year 2006 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2005 (D.C. Act 16-168, July 26, 2005, 52 DCR 7667).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of D.C. Law 20-60, § 401(a), see §§ 1013, 1014(b), and 1014(c) of the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-377, July 14, 2014, 61 DCR 7598, 20 STAT 3696).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of D.C. Law 20-60, § 401(a), see §§ 1013, 1014(b), and 1014(c) of the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-449, October 10, 2014, 61 DCR 10915, 20 STAT 4188).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of D.C. Law 20-60, § 401(a), see §§ 1013, 1014(b), and 1014(c) of the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Second Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-566, Jan. 9, 2015, 62 DCR 884, 21 STAT 541).
For temporary (90 days) repeal of D.C. Law 20-155, § 1014(c), see § 7002 of the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21-127, July 27, 2015, 62 DCR 10201).
Editor's Notes
Applicability of D.C. Law 20-60: Section 401(a) of D.C. Law 20-60 provided that § 101 of the act shall apply as of October 1, 2014.
Applicability of D.C. Law 20-60: Section 1013 of D.C. Law 20-155 amended D.C. Law 20-60 to provide that D.C. Law 20-60, §  101, shall apply as of October 1, 2018; Section 1014(b) of D.C. Law 20-155 amended D.C. Law 20-60 to provide that D.C. Law 20-60, §  101, shall apply as of October 1, 2014.
Applicability of D.C. Law 20-155: Section 1014(c) of D.C. Law 20-155 provided that § 1014 of the act shall apply upon the inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, as certified by the Chief Financial Officer to the Budget Director of the Council in a certification published by the Council in the District of Columbia Register.
Section 7002 of D.C. Law 21-36 repealed D.C. Law 20-155, §  1014(c).