White House Counsel

Template:Short description 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 the 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. When initially created, it was named simply Special Counsel.

David Warrington is the current White House counsel, serving since January 20, 2025.

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 (DOJ).

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.

Like all similarly appointed positions in the White House and Executive Office of the President, the White House Counsel's office is also quite distinct from and separate to the judiciary. It is also different in type to other senior positions which are not simply presidentially appointed but rather are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. In the legal realm, these would be foremost the attorney general of the United States, and their principal deputy and other assistants, who are nominated by the president to oversee the United States Department of Justice, and the solicitor general of the United States (the fourth-ranking official in the Justice Department) and staff, who argue cases before the U.S. Supreme Court (and in lower federal courts) for the Justice Department when it, or the Federal Government or an officer thereof (including the President), is a party to the case. The White House Counsel does, however, usually act as the primary contact point between the DOJ and the White House.

List of White House counsels

Denotes acting capacity.

Image	Name	Start	End	President
File:Samuel-Rosenman-1930.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(1933–1945)
				rowspan=3 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(1945–1953)
File:Clark Clifford photo portrait.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Charles S. Murphy (cropped).jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:No image.svg	On leave	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=5 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(1953–1961)
File:No image.svg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:No image.svg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:No image.svg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Ted Sorensen - withdrawing from CIA nomination LCCN2017658310.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(1961–1963)
				rowspan=6 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(1963–1969)
File:MyerFeldman.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Lee White (cropped).jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:No image.svg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:McPherson DLA Piper.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:No image.svg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:John Ehrlichman in 1969.png		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=4 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(1969–1974)
File:Nixon Contact Sheet WHPO-7711 (cropped).jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:John Dean, Bestanddeelnr 929-1102.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Portrait of Len Garment, special consultant - NARA - 194684.tif		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Philip Buchen (1974-08-15 A0147 NLGRF).jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(1974–1977)
File:Robert Lipshutz - 1977.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=2 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(1977–1981)
File:No image.svg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Portraits of Assistants to President Ronald Reagan (cropped8).jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=3 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(1981–1989)
File:Peter Wallison 1986.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Arthur B. Culvahouse, Jr.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:C Boyden Gray.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(1989–1993)
File:No image.svg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=7 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(1993–2001)
File:No image.svg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Abner Mikva.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:No image.svg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:White House Counsel Charles Ruff and others at a House Judiciary Committee hearing (1).jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Cheryl D. Mills.jpg	Acting	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:No image.svg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Alberto R. Gonzales.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=3 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(2001–2009)
File:HarrietMiersFlagpin.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Fred Fielding.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Greg Craig 48-DPA-374 DSC 0015.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=4 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(2009–2017)
File:BobBauer2.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Kathryn Ruemmler.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Neil Eggleston.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Don McGahn official photo.png		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=3 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(2017–2021)
File:No image.svg	Acting	Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Pat Cipollone.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Dana Remus.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts	rowspan=3 style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(2021–2025)
File:Stuart Delery.png		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:Ed Siskel.jpg		Template:Dts	Template:Dts
File:David Warrington (8007711713).jpg		Template:Dts	Incumbent	style="background: Template:Party color;" |	(2025–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
• Records of David W. Kendall, White House Counsel, 1958-1961, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library