Office of General Counsel

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) protects the legal interests of the Smithsonian Institution. The OGC has 12 attorneys who provide legal advice and counsel to the Board of Regents, Secretary, and other Smithsonian staff on various issues including: the legal nature and administration of the Institution, intellectual property, employment, collections management, contracts, ethics, tax, tort claims, Freedom of Information Act, etc.

The OGC represents the Smithsonian in litigation and other adversarial proceedings to which the Institution is a party and before federal, state, and local government entities on administrative matters; issues final determinations on administrative tort and personal property claims against the Smithsonian; and generally monitors developments in the law for application to Smithsonian programs. The Smithsonian Institution is represented in litigation by the Department of Justice and the Offices of the United States Attorney.

OGC Attorneys:

• Judith Leonard, General Counsel
• Marsha S. Shaines, Deputy General Counsel
• Annette Fancher-Bishop, Attorney Administrator
• Craig M. Blackwell, Associate General Counsel
• Rachelle V. Browne, Associate General Counsel
• Farleigh Earhart, Associate General Counsel
• Lauryn H. Guttenplan, Associate General Counsel
• Christine Nicholson, Associate General Counsel
• Jessica Sanet, Assistant General Counsel
• Eryn Starun, Assistant General Counsel
• Katherine Watras, Assistant General Counsel
• Jim Wilson, Assistant General Counsel
• Virginia Gomez, Assistant General Counsel
• Sam Le, Assistant General Counsel

Contacts

Phone: 202.633.5115

Fax: 202.357.4310

Email: info@si.edu

Street Address: 1000 Jefferson Dr. SW, Room 302 Washington, DC 20026-3286

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 37012, Washington , DC 20013-7012