Title 50, War and National DefenseRelease 119-110

§3520 General Counsel of Central Intelligence Agency

Title 50 › CHAPTER 46 — CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY › § 3520

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President must appoint a General Counsel for the Central Intelligence Agency from civilian life, and the Senate must approve that appointment. The General Counsel is the CIA’s top lawyer and must carry out the legal duties the Director gives them.

Full Legal Text

Title 50, §3520

War and National Defense, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Appointment
There is a General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency, appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(b)Chief legal officer
The General Counsel is the chief legal officer of the Central Intelligence Agency.
(c)Functions
The General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency shall perform such functions as the Director may prescribe.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 403t of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Amendments

2004—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–458 struck out “of Central Intelligence” after “Director”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2004 AmendmentFor Determination by President that amendment by Pub. L. 108–458 take effect on Apr. 21, 2005, see Memorandum of President of the United States, Apr. 21, 2005, 70 F.R. 23925, set out as a note under section 3001 of this title. Amendment by Pub. L. 108–458 effective not later than six months after Dec. 17, 2004, except as otherwise expressly provided, see section 1097(a) of Pub. L. 108–458, set out in an

Effective Date

of 2004 Amendment; Transition Provisions note under section 3001 of this title. Applicability of Appointment Requirements Pub. L. 104–293, title VIII, § 813(b), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3483, provided that: “The requirement established by section 20 of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 [50 U.S.C. 3520], as added by subsection (a), for the appointment by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, of an individual to the position of General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency shall apply as follows: “(1) To any vacancy in such position that occurs after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 11, 1996]. “(2) To the incumbent serving in such position on the date of the enactment of this Act as of the date that is six months after such date of enactment, if such incumbent has served in such position continuously between such date of enactment and the date that is six months after such date of enactment.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

50 U.S.C. § 3520

Title 50, War and National Defense

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110