The Office of the General Counsel
The
Office of the General Counsel is the legal advisor and counsel to the Maryland
Commission on Human Relations. It is an independent law department created by
the Legislature in State Government Article, Section 20-206, Annotated Code of
Maryland. The Commission is one of only two state agencies having such counsel
not connected to the State Attorney General's Office. The Department is charged
with representing the agency at all hearings and judicial proceedings in which
MCHR is a party. The attorneys litigate cases before the Office of
Administrative Hearings, state and federal courts, prosecute subsequent appeals
before Commission appeal panels and state and federal appellate courts;
institute litigation to obtain injunctive relief and court enforcement of
Commission orders and subpoenas. In addition to litigation responsibilities, the
general counsel's office provides legal opinions to the agency's staff, responds
to legal inquiries from the public, drafts legislation and regulations, provides
training to the agency staff and, upon request, to those outside the agency.
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