National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of the General Counsel

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of the General Counsel (GC) provides legal advice to the NOAA Administrator and NOAA program offices on a wide variety of legal issues including implementing administrative and federal law requirements and procedures; protecting and managing marine resources such as U.S. and international fisheries, marine mammals, and endangered and threatened marine species; conserving and managing ocean and coastal areas and marine sanctuaries; predicting and communicating weather forecasts; planning and managing Earth-observing satellite systems; and licensing of commercial satellites. NOAA is a premier federal environmental agency located within the U.S. Department of Commerce and employs over 12,000 people nationwide. NOAA GC employs approximately 120 attorneys at headquarters in the Washington, DC area and six regional sections.