Legal Retention of Counsel

TONY MARRA
POFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

Session materials are in Tab 3 of your binders.

What is OGC?
Office of the General Counsel
Provides legal advice, counsel, and services with

respect to the full gamut of issues (what are some of

these issues 2 to 3) that arise in connection with the
programs, activities, and operations of the Peace
Corps
3 Regional Attorneys and 1 Attorney working
exclusively on Sexual Assault

Retention of Counsel
How many of you have assisted your post in

retaining counsel for a Volunteer?

One of the 8 services provided to a Volunteer who is
a victim of sexual assault
This service is available to Restricted & Standard
Reporting options

Retention of Counsel
There are two scenarios for retaining counsel:
1.

For the Volunteer to understand the procedure in the host

country (Restricted Reporting service)

2.

To represent the Volunteer in a case (Standard Reporting

service)

Restricted Reporting
Notify OGC Duty Lawyer that a local lawyer is

needed to provide advice to the Volunteer on

available law enforcement and prosecutorial options.
Do not provide the Volunteers identity or any other
PII to the OGC Duty Lawyer.
However, provide the OGC Duty Lawyer with such
information regarding the incident as may be needed
for the OGC Duty Lawyer to hire and instruct the
local lawyer.

RR: Conflict Check

The OGC Duty Lawyer will instruct the local lawyer to contact
you in order to obtain the name of the Volunteer and the names
of any other individuals who were involved in the incident.
When the local lawyer contacts you to perform the conflict
check, provide the Volunteers name and, if you know, names of
other individuals involved.

RR: Volunteer Accompaniment

When the OGC Duty Lawyer notifies you that the purchase of
legal services from the local lawyer has been authorized, make
arrangements for the Volunteer to meet with the local lawyer as
necessary to provide the requested advice.

RR: Volunteer Accompaniment

When the OGC Duty Lawyer notifies you that Peace Corps has
authorized a local lawyer, make arrangements for the Volunteer
to meet with the local lawyer as necessary to provide the
requested advice.

RR: After Advice is Given

Once advice is given, an invoice will come to

Headquarters.
OGC will send it to you to certify that the services Peace
Corps is getting charged for are true and accurate.
After certifying the invoice, forward it to the OGC Duty
Lawyer who will submit the invoice to the Office of
Global Accounts Payable for payment.
If the local lawyer has any questions regarding any aspect
of the case (including any billing inquiries), refer the
local counsel to the OGC Duty Lawyer.
Do not refer the local lawyer to the Country
Director or the Director of Management and
Operations at post.

Standard Reporting
In cases where the Volunteer has made a complaint

to law enforcement and/or had a SAFE, follow

current guidelines at your post on talking with the
Country Director about retaining a lawyer.
MS 774

Any Questions?
Office of the General Counsel
+1 (202) 692-2150