Where is the Attorney General’s Office?
As chief legal officers, attorneys general advise and represent their state legislatures and agencies on matters pertaining to the Constitution, law and public interest. Attorneys general also serve as “People’s Lawyer,” protecting consumers, charitable donors and other citizens. To learn more about your state’s attorney general’s powers and responsibilities as “People’s Lawyer,” tune into The People’s Lawyer podcast from NAAG.
Office Locations
The attorney general of a state is the chief legal officer for their jurisdiction. They provide advice to legislature and agencies, advocate for public interest causes, and serve as “People’s Lawyer”. Generally elected positions, some may also be appointed by the governor.
The Attorney General’s Office provides a variety of services to New Yorkers, such as protecting consumers and investors; advocating for social and economic justice in communities throughout the state; aiding charitable donors and employees; upholding civil rights, including wage earners’ rights to fair wages; prosecuting criminal activities that harm people such as identity theft, child pornography, drug trafficking and computer crimes; conducting and supporting investigations and prosecutions; defending various governmental and administrative claims at all levels of court system. Furthermore, they oversee both Offices: Office of Highway Traffic Safety and Victims of Crime Compensation Office.
In the Office of the Attorney General, there are thirteen regional offices led by an attorney-in-charge and staffed with assistant attorneys general. These offices assist in carrying out essential defensive, regulatory and affirmative justice functions throughout each region of California.
Each regional office works to safeguard the interests of state government and its agencies, boards and commissions while representing New Yorkers in a range of legal matters from criminal justice matters to consumer protection, environmental protection and public safety. Each regional office has an experienced team of attorneys, prosecutors, investigators and support staff that work directly in communities they serve to guarantee protection for New Yorkers while striving to promote more justice within society.
In addition to these main offices, the Attorney General’s Office has several additional locations throughout Massachusetts. These include Albany Office in Albany’s State Capital; and Boston Office located in One Chase Manhattan Bank building on Liberty Street in downtown Boston.
The Attorney General’s Office serves all New Yorkers by initiating and defending lawsuits on behalf of the state, providing formal legal opinions requested by State officers, legislators or county attorneys on legal matters, representing New York in litigation at all levels from administrative tribunals to the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as providing formal legal opinions regarding various public policies.
Contact Information
The Attorney General’s Office in Albany boasts an impressive 1,800 personnel across 70 offices throughout the state of New York. In addition to the office of the state’s top legal officer, this department houses the statewide Legal Services Agency (LSA), its most prominent prosecutor and several other units that handle legal disputes from insurance and child support cases to environmental crimes. The Department is also the custodian of a rapidly-expanding state museum. They are proud competitors in the best place to work category. Notable among their most visible and commendable stewards are senior attorneys who manage all petty cash and administrative tasks related to the department efficiently and effectively.
Office Hours
The attorney general is the chief legal officer of a state or territory and represents its interests to the federal government and other institutions. They act as counselors to legislatures and agencies within their jurisdictions, commonly referred to as “People’s Lawyers.” Moreover, attorneys general are accountable for upholding public rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution while upholding rule of law within their jurisdictions.
Typically, the attorney general represents the state in civil and criminal cases when it has a stake or interest in the outcome. He or her staff draft legal opinions for governors, legislators, heads of agencies and other top state officials as needed.
In addition to representing the state in civil and criminal cases, the attorney general and his staff conduct investigations and initiate legal actions to enforce and protect state laws. They also represent the state in disciplinary and licensing matters involving state employees as well as defending and representing it when sued.
Our attorneys and staff strive to safeguard consumers, employees, charities, businesses, public health and environment, civil rights and wage earners in New York. Additionally, they are dedicated to ensuring that New York law enforcement officers enjoy the trust of their communities.
We investigate and prosecute crimes such as child exploitation/pornography, computer crimes, gang activities/organized criminal enterprises, identity theft, violations of environmental laws and fraud against taxpayers. Furthermore, we offer legal representation and counsel to victims of crimes, prisoners suing over their incarceration and state agencies accused of breaking public records or open meetings laws in the state.
The Attorney General’s Office consists of several offices, each with their own specialized area of knowledge. The Offices of Appeals and Opinions, Administrative Law, State Counsel, Economic Justice & Social Justice, as well as the Police Training Commission are all staffed with attorneys and professional support personnel located throughout California. The Office of Appeals and Opinions is the primary unit within the Attorney General’s Office that reviews legislation, rules, deeds, contracts and other legal documents to determine if they comply with applicable laws. The Office of Administrative Law is composed of deputy attorneys general who provide advice to state boards and commissions on their functions and responsibilities. Meanwhile, the Office of State Counsel consists of attorneys and staff that review contracts, agreements and other documents on behalf of the state.
Email Address
The Attorney General is an impressively large organization, boasting 16,000 employees across 18 state agencies and divisions. Staying abreast of legal and regulatory developments, as well as making sure the right people are in their seats at the right times, can be daunting even under ideal conditions. For the truly elite among us, having a top-notch human resources department that can assemble and execute teams quickly on demand day or night is paramount; for everyone else though, good ole’ fashion office time is still necessary!
