The Division of General Counsel and Administrative Law (GCAL) provides legal advice and services to a wide variety of Vermont state government agencies and elected and appointed state officials.
The Division represents the State of Vermont in cases before the
- Labor Relations Board
- Board of Medical Practice
- Human Rights Commission
- Liquor Control Board
- Employment Security Board
The agencies that the Division provides legal services for include, as an example, the following agencies in addition to several other entities.
- Agency of Transportation
- Secretary of State
- Department of Buildings and General Services
- Treasurer’s Office
- Department of Taxes
- Agency of Administration
- Vermont Pension Investment Committee
The General Counsel and Administrative Law Division also provides legal counsel to Vermont agencies on a wide range of legal topics such as state contracting procedures, information technology contracts, public records laws, and open meeting law.
The Division's appellate unit briefs and argues civil appeals in the Vermont Supreme Court and in the federal Appellate Courts including the United States Supreme Court. It assists other AGO Divisions and other state agencies in complex trials and appeals.
The Vermont statewide Juvenile and Adult Court Diversion programs are also part of the Division. These programs provide an alternative to the criminal justice system by addressing offenses through a community based justice model.
The Division provides a variety of legal services to State agencies; it does not provide general private legal advice to citizens on interpretations of statutes.