White House Counsel facts for kids

The White House counsel is a senior staff appointee of the president of the United States whose role is to advise the president on all legal issues concerning the president and their administration. The White House counsel also oversees the Office of White House Counsel, a team of lawyers and support staff who provide legal guidance for the president and the White House Office. At least when White House counsel is advising the president on legal matters pertaining to the duties or prerogatives of the president, this office is also called Counsel to the President.

Ed Siskel is the current White House Counsel, serving since September 11, 2023.

Responsibilities

The Office of Counsel to the President and Vice President was created in 1943, and is responsible for advising on all legal aspects of policy questions; legal issues arising in connection with the president's decision to sign or veto legislation, ethical questions, financial disclosures; and conflicts of interest during employment and post employment. The counsel's office also helps define the line between official and political activities, oversees executive appointments and judicial selection, handles presidential pardons, reviews legislation and presidential statements, and handles lawsuits against the president in his role as president, as well as serving as the White House contact for the Department of Justice.

Limitations

Although the White House counsel offers legal advice to the president and vice president, the counsel does so in the president's and vice president's official capacity, and does not serve as the president's personal attorney. Therefore, controversy has emerged over the scope of the attorney–client privilege between the counsel and the president and vice president, namely with John Dean of Watergate notoriety. It is clear, however, that the privilege does not apply in strictly personal matters. It also does not apply to legislative proceedings by the U.S. Congress against the president due to allegations of misconduct while in office, such as formal censures or impeachment proceedings. In those situations the president relies on a personal attorney if he desires confidential legal advice. The office is also distinct from the judiciary, and from others who are not appointed to positions but nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. These would be foremost the attorney general of the United States, and the principal deputy and other assistants, who are nominated by the president to oversee the United States Department of Justice, or the solicitor general of the United States and staff (the solicitor general is the fourth-ranking official in the Justice Department), who argue cases before the U.S. Supreme Court (and in lower federal courts) for the Justice Department when it is a party to the case.

List of White House counsels

Image	Name	Start	End	President
	Rosenman, SamuelSamuel Rosenman	October 2, 1943	February 1, 1946		Roosevelt, Franklin D.Franklin D. Roosevelt
					Truman, Harry S.Harry S. Truman
	Clifford, ClarkClark Clifford	February 1, 1946	January 31, 1950
	Murphy, CharlesCharles Murphy	January 31, 1950	January 20, 1953
	Stephens, TomTom Stephens	January 20, 1953 On leave	April 14, 1953		Eisenhower, Dwight D.Dwight D. Eisenhower
	Shanley, BernardBernard Shanley	January 20, 1953 Acting: January 20, 1953 – April 14, 1953	February 19, 1955
	Morgan, GeraldGerald Morgan	February 19, 1955	November 5, 1958
	Kendall, DavidDavid Kendall	November 5, 1958	January 20, 1961
	Sorensen, TedTed Sorensen	January 20, 1961	February 29, 1964		Kennedy, John F.John F. Kennedy
					Johnson, Lyndon B.Lyndon B. Johnson
	Feldman, MikeMike Feldman	April 1964	January 17, 1965
	White, LeeLee White	January 17, 1965	February 11, 1966
	Semer, MiltonMilton Semer	February 14, 1966	December 31, 1966
	McPherson, HarryHarry McPherson	February 11, 1966	October 26, 1967
	Temple, LarryLarry Temple	October 26, 1967	January 20, 1969
	Ehrlichman, JohnJohn Ehrlichman	January 20, 1969	November 4, 1969		Nixon, RichardRichard Nixon
	Colson, ChuckChuck Colson	November 6, 1969	July 9, 1970
	Dean, JohnJohn Dean	July 9, 1970	April 30, 1973
	Garment, LenLen Garment	April 30, 1973	August 9, 1974
	Buchen, PhilipPhilip Buchen	August 9, 1974	January 20, 1977		Ford, GeraldGerald Ford
	Lipshutz, RobertRobert Lipshutz	January 20, 1977	October 1, 1979		Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter
	Cutler, LloydLloyd Cutler	October 1, 1979	January 20, 1981
	Fielding, FredFred Fielding	January 20, 1981	May 23, 1986		Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan
	Wallison, PeterPeter Wallison	May 23, 1986	March 20, 1987
	Culvahouse, ArthurArthur Culvahouse	March 20, 1987	January 20, 1989
	Gray, BoydenBoyden Gray	January 20, 1989	January 20, 1993		Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush
	Nussbaum, BernardBernard Nussbaum	January 20, 1993	March 8, 1994		Clinton, BillBill Clinton
	Cutler, LloydLloyd Cutler	March 8, 1994	October 1, 1994
	Mikva, AbnerAbner Mikva	October 1, 1994	November 1, 1995
	Quinn, JackJack Quinn	November 1, 1995	February 1997
	Ruff, ChuckChuck Ruff	February 1997	August 6, 1999
	Mills, CherylCheryl Mills Acting	August 6, 1999	September 1999
	Nolan, BethBeth Nolan	September 1999	January 20, 2001
	Gonzales, AlbertoAlberto Gonzales	January 20, 2001	February 3, 2005		Bush, George W.George W. Bush
	Miers, HarrietHarriet Miers	February 3, 2005	January 31, 2007
	Fielding, FredFred Fielding	January 31, 2007	January 20, 2009
	Craig, GregGreg Craig	January 20, 2009	January 3, 2010		Obama, BarackBarack Obama
	Bauer, BobBob Bauer	January 3, 2010	June 30, 2011
	Ruemmler, KathyKathy Ruemmler	June 30, 2011	June 2, 2014
	Eggleston, NeilNeil Eggleston	June 2, 2014	January 20, 2017
	McGahn, DonDon McGahn	January 20, 2017	October 17, 2018		Trump, DonaldDonald Trump
	Flood, EmmetEmmet Flood Acting	October 18, 2018	December 10, 2018
	Cipollone, PatPat Cipollone	December 10, 2018	January 20, 2021
	Remus, DanaDana Remus	January 20, 2021	July 1, 2022		Biden, JoeJoe Biden
	Delery, StuartStuart Delery	July 1, 2022	September 11, 2023
	Siskel, EdEd Siskel	September 11, 2023	present