Attorney General of New York Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Attorney General of New York
Flag of New York
Seal of the attorney general of New York
Incumbent Letitia James since January 1, 2019
Department of Law
Style	The Honorable
Term length	Four years No limit
Constituting instrument	New York Constitution, Executive Law
Formation	1777
First holder	Egbert Benson
Succession	Election by joint session of New York State Legislature
Salary	$210,000 (2019)

The Attorney General of New York is the main lawyer for the U.S. state of New York. This person leads the Department of Law for the state government. The job has been around since 1626, starting with the Dutch government.

The Attorney General of New York earns the highest salary among all state attorneys general in the country.

Currently, Democrat Letitia James holds this important position. She started her term on January 1, 2019.

What Does the Attorney General Do?
How the Department of Law is Organized
How Attorneys General Were Chosen Over Time
A Look at New York's Attorneys General
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See also

What Does the Attorney General Do?

The Attorney General gives legal advice to the state government's executive branch. They also defend the state in legal cases and start lawsuits on its behalf. The Attorney General works independently, meaning they do not take direct orders from the governor of New York. The rules for the Department of Law are found in a special book called the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations.

How the Department of Law is Organized

The Department of Law handles many different legal tasks. These tasks are split into five main groups. These groups are Appeals and Opinions, State Counsel, Criminal Justice, Economic Justice, and Social Justice.

How Attorneys General Were Chosen Over Time

The way New York's Attorney General is chosen has changed a lot through history.

From 1684 to 1777, when New York was a British colony, the King or the colonial governor picked the Attorney General. In 1693, the Attorney General earned 50 pounds a year.
From 1777 to 1822, a group called the Council of Appointment chose the Attorney General.
From 1823 to 1846, the New York State Legislature elected the Attorney General for a three-year term.
Since 1847, the people of New York have voted for their Attorney General.

A Look at New York's Attorneys General

The role of Attorney General has been filled by many people throughout New York's history. The first Attorney General of New York State was Egbert Benson, who started his term on May 8, 1777.

Many notable people have held this office. For example, Aaron Burr, who later became the third Vice President of the United States, served as Attorney General from 1789 to 1791. Another future U.S. President, Martin Van Buren, was Attorney General from 1815 to 1819.

The longest-serving Attorney General was Louis J. Lefkowitz. He held the office for almost 22 years, from 1957 to 1978.

Today, Letitia "Tish" James is the current Attorney General. She took office on January 1, 2019.