White House Counsel

For other United States offices of special counsel, see United States Office of Special Counsel (disambiguation).

"Office of Counsel to the President" redirects here. For the Sri Lankan position, see President's Counsel.

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.

White House Counsel
Incumbent Ed Siskel since September 11, 2023
Formation	1943
First holder	Samuel Rosenman

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
	Samuel Rosenman	October 2, 1943	February 1, 1946		Franklin D. Roosevelt
					Harry S. Truman
	Clark Clifford	February 1, 1946	January 31, 1950
	Charles Murphy	January 31, 1950	January 20, 1953
	Tom Stephens	January 20, 1953 On leave	April 14, 1953		Dwight D. Eisenhower
	Bernard Shanley	January 20, 1953 Acting: January 20, 1953 – April 14, 1953	February 19, 1955
	Gerald Morgan	February 19, 1955	November 5, 1958
	David Kendall	November 5, 1958	January 20, 1961
	Ted Sorensen	January 20, 1961	February 29, 1964		John F. Kennedy
					Lyndon B. Johnson
	Mike Feldman	April 1964	January 17, 1965
	Lee White	January 17, 1965	February 11, 1966
	Milton Semer	February 14, 1966	December 31, 1966
	Harry McPherson	February 11, 1966	October 26, 1967
	Larry Temple	October 26, 1967	January 20, 1969
	John Ehrlichman	January 20, 1969	November 4, 1969		Richard Nixon
	Chuck Colson	November 6, 1969	July 9, 1970
	John Dean	July 9, 1970	April 30, 1973
	Len Garment	April 30, 1973	August 9, 1974
	Philip Buchen	August 9, 1974	January 20, 1977		Gerald Ford
	Robert Lipshutz	January 20, 1977	October 1, 1979		Jimmy Carter
	Lloyd Cutler	October 1, 1979	January 20, 1981
	Fred Fielding	January 20, 1981	May 23, 1986		Ronald Reagan
	Peter Wallison	May 23, 1986	March 20, 1987
	Arthur Culvahouse	March 20, 1987	January 20, 1989
	Boyden Gray	January 20, 1989	January 20, 1993		George H. W. Bush
	Bernard Nussbaum	January 20, 1993	March 8, 1994		Bill Clinton
	Lloyd Cutler	March 8, 1994	October 1, 1994
	Abner Mikva	October 1, 1994	November 1, 1995
	Jack Quinn	November 1, 1995	February 1997
	Chuck Ruff	February 1997	August 6, 1999
	Cheryl Mills Acting	August 6, 1999	September 1999
	Beth Nolan	September 1999	January 20, 2001
	Alberto Gonzales	January 20, 2001	February 3, 2005		George W. Bush
	Harriet Miers	February 3, 2005	January 31, 2007
	Fred Fielding	January 31, 2007	January 20, 2009
	Greg Craig	January 20, 2009	January 3, 2010		Barack Obama
	Bob Bauer	January 3, 2010	June 30, 2011
	Kathy Ruemmler	June 30, 2011	June 2, 2014
	Neil Eggleston	June 2, 2014	January 20, 2017
	Don McGahn	January 20, 2017	October 17, 2018		Donald Trump
	Emmet Flood Acting	October 18, 2018	December 10, 2018
	Pat Cipollone	December 10, 2018	January 20, 2021
	Dana Remus	January 20, 2021	July 1, 2022		Joe Biden
	Stuart Delery	July 1, 2022	September 11, 2023
	Ed Siskel	September 11, 2023	present

External links

• Executive Office of the President
• Records of Thomas E. Stephens, White House Counsel, 1953, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
• Diaries of Bernard M. Shanley, White House Counsel, 1953-1955, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
• Records of Gerald Morgan, White House Counsel, 1955-1958, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library Archived 2018-09-24 at the Wayback Machine
• Records of David W. Kendall, White House Counsel, 1958-1961, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library