The Role of White House Counsel

Administrative Law and Federalism & Separation of Powers Practice Groups Teleforum

In recent weeks, there has been a flurry of editorials on the proper role of the White House Counsel, driven by criticism of White House Counsel Donald McGahn. After the rollout of President Trump’s Immigration Executive Order, some, like Jack Goldsmith, have written that McGahn should have worked with other agencies before the Order was released to prevent the chaos that ensued.

But what is the proper role of the White House Counsel? Is it to coordinate inter-agency reaction? Should he or she provide legal support to the President first? Or is his or her real client the office of the presidency? Former White House Counsel C. Boyden Gray and former Deputy White House Counsel Timothy Flanigan will join us to help answer these questions and many others.

Featuring:

• Hon. Timothy E. Flanigan, Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, Corporate Secretary, Cancer Treatment Centers of America; Former Deputy White House Counsel to President George W. Bush
• Hon. C. Boyden Gray, Founding Partner, Boyden Gray & Associates; Former White House Counsel to President George H.W. Bush

In recent weeks, there has been a flurry of editorials on the proper role of the White House Counsel, driven by criticism of White House Counsel Donald McGahn. After the rollout of President Trump’s Immigration Executive Order, some, like Jack Goldsmith, have written that McGahn should have worked with other agencies before the Order was released to prevent the chaos that ensued.

But what is the proper role of the White House Counsel? Is it to coordinate inter-agency reaction? Should he or she provide legal support to the President first? Or is his or her real client the office of the presidency? Former White House Counsel C. Boyden Gray and former Deputy White House Counsel Timothy Flanigan will join us to help answer these questions and many others.

Featuring:

• Hon. Timothy E. Flanigan, Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, Corporate Secretary, Cancer Treatment Centers of America; Former Deputy White House Counsel to President George W. Bush
• Hon. C. Boyden Gray, Founding Partner, Boyden Gray & Associates; Former White House Counsel to President George H.W. Bush

Call begins at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

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