Flag of a United States Assistant Attorney General

Many of the divisions and offices of the

United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and a ...

are headed by an assistant attorney general. The

president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

appoints individuals to the position of assistant attorney general with the

advice and consent Advice and consent is an English phrase frequently used in enacting formulae of bills and in other legal or constitutional contexts. It describes either of two situations: where a weak executive branch of a government enacts something previ ...

of the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the e ...

. United States Department of Justice components that are led by an assistant attorney general are: *

Antitrust Division The United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division is a division of the U.S. Department of Justice that enforces U.S. antitrust law. It has exclusive jurisdiction over U.S. federal criminal antitrust prosecutions. It also has jurisdic ...

Civil Division Civil may refer to: *Civic virtue, or civility *Civil action, or lawsuit * Civil affairs *Civil and political rights *Civil disobedience *Civil engineering *Civil (journalism), a platform for independent journalism *Civilian, someone not a membe ...

* Civil Rights Division *

Criminal Division In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Ca ...

* National Security Division * Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) * Justice Management Division (JMD) * Tax Division * Office of Justice Programs (OJP) * Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) *

Office of Legal Policy The Office of Legal Policy (OLP) is a division within the United States Department of Justice which describes itself as the "focal point for the development and coordination of Departmental policy." In addition to rendering legal advice to the Un ...

(OLP) * Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA) Assistant attorneys general report either to the

deputy attorney general The Deputy Attorney General (DAG) is the second-highest-ranking official in a department of justice or of law, in various governments of the world. In those governments, the deputy attorney general oversees the day-to-day operation of the departme ...

(in the case of the Criminal Division, the Justice Management Division and the Offices of Legal Counsel, Legislative Affairs, and Legal Policy) or to the

associate attorney general The associate attorney general of the United States is the third-highest-ranking official in the U.S. Department of Justice. The associate attorney general advises and assists the attorney general and the deputy attorney general in policies rela ...

(in the case of the Antitrust, Civil, Civil Rights, Environment & Natural Resources, and Tax Divisions and the Office of Justice Programs).

List of U.S. Assistant Attorneys General

Assistant Attorney General

Antitrust Division

Civil Division

Civil Rights Division

Kristen Clarke Kristen M. Clarke (born 1975) is an American attorney who has served as the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the United States Department of Justice since May 2021. Clarke previously served as president of the Lawyers ...

(2021–present) *

Eric Dreiband Eric Stefan Dreiband (born September 23, 1963) is an American lawyer. While a partner at Jones Day, he was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. The Senate con ...

(2018–2021) *

John M. Gore John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

(Acting 2017–2018) *

Thomas E. Wheeler II Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...

(Acting 2017) * Vanita Gupta (2014–2017) * Molly J. Moran (Acting 2014) * Jocelyn Samuels (Acting 2013–2014) *

Thomas Perez Thomas Edward Perez (born October 7, 1961) is an American politician and attorney who served as the Chair of the Democratic National Committee from February 2017 until January 2021. Perez was previously Assistant Attorney General for Civil Right ...

, (2009–2013) *Grace Chung Becker (Acting 2008) * Wan J. Kim, (2005–2007) *

R. Alexander Acosta Rene Alexander Acosta (born January 16, 1969) is an American attorney and politician, who served as the 27th United States Secretary of Labor from 2017 to 2019. President Donald Trump nominated Acosta to be Labor Secretary on , and he was confir ...

(2003–2005) *

Bradley Schlozman Bradley Joseph Schlozman (born February 6, 1971) is an American attorney who served as acting head of the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice under Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. A member of the Republican Party, ...

(Acting 2003) *Ralph F. Boyd Jr. (2001–2003) *William R. Yeomans (Acting 2001) * Bill Lann Lee (1997–2001) *

Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick (born July 31, 1956) is an American politician, civil rights lawyer, author, and businessman who served as the 71st governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. He was first elected in 2006, succeeding Mitt Romney, who ...

, (1994–1997) *James P. Turner (Acting 1993–94) * John R. Dunne(1990–1993) *James P. Turner (Acting 1989–1990) *William C. Lucas (Acting 1988–1989) *William Bradford Reynolds (1981–1988) * Drew S. Days, III (1977–1980) * J. Stanley Pottinger (1973–1977) *David Luke Norman (1971–1973) *

Jerris Leonard Jerris Leonard (January 17, 1931July 27, 2006) was an American lawyer and Republican politician. He served 8 years in the Wisconsin State Senate (1961–1969) and four years in the State Assembly (1957–1961), representing northern Mi ...

(1969–1971) *

Stephen J. Pollak Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; h ...

(1968–1969) *

John Michael Doar John Michael Doar (December 3, 1921 – November 11, 2014) was an American lawyer and senior counsel with the law firm Doar Rieck Kaley & Mack in New York City. During the administrations of presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, he s ...

(1965 to 1967) * Burke Marshall (1961–1964) *Harold R. Tyler (1960–1961) * W. Wilson White (1957–1960)

Criminal Division

Kenneth Polite Kenneth Allen Polite Jr. (born 1976) is an American lawyer who is currently serving as the assistant attorney general for the criminal division in the United States Department of Justice since July 21, 2021. He previously served as a United Stat ...

(2021–present) *

Brian Benczkowski Brian Allen Benczkowski (born October 5, 1969) is an American lawyer who served as the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division of the United States Department of Justice. Prior to assuming that role, he was a partner at Kirkland & E ...

(2018–2020) * Leslie Caldwell (2014–2017) *

Lanny Breuer Lanny Arthur Breuer (born August 5, 1958) is an American criminal defense lawyer who currently serves as vice chair of Covington & Burling LLP. From 2009 to 2013, he served as Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division of the U.S. De ...

(2009–2013) * Alice Fisher (2005–2008) * Christopher A. Wray (2003–2005) *

Michael Chertoff Michael Chertoff (born November 28, 1953) is an American attorney who was the second United States Secretary of Homeland Security to serve under President George W. Bush. Chertoff also served for one additional day under President Barack Obama. ...

(2001–2003) * James Robinson (1998–2001) * Jo Ann Harris (1993–1995) *

Robert Mueller Robert Swan Mueller III (; born August 7, 1944) is an American lawyer and government official who served as the sixth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2001 to 2013. A graduate of Princeton University and New York ...

(1990–1993) *

Edward S.G. Dennis Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sax ...

(1988–1990) *

William Weld William is a masculine given name of Norman French origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conq ...

(1986–1988) *

Stephen S. Trott Stephen Spangler Trott (born December 12, 1939) is a Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Education and career Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Trott received a Bachelor of Arts degree ...

(1983–1986) * D. Lowell Jensen (1981–1983) * Philip Heymann (1978–1981) * Benjamin Civiletti (1977–1978) *

Dick Thornburgh Richard Lewis Thornburgh (July 16, 1932 – December 31, 2020) was an American lawyer, author, and Republican politician who served as the 41st governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987, and then as the United States attorney general fr ...

(1975–1977) *

Henry E. Petersen Henry E. Petersen (January 1, 1921 – May 29, 1991) was an attorney and United States federal government official. He served as Assistant U.S. Attorney General during the Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford administrations. He also engaged in ethica ...

(1972–1974) * Will Wilson (1969–1971) * Fred Vinson Jr. (1965–1969) * Herbert Miller Jr. (1961–1965) *

Malcolm R. Wilkey Malcolm Richard Wilkey (December 6, 1918 – August 15, 2009) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and United States Ambassador to Uruguay. Early life and education Wilkey ...

(1959–1961) *

Malcolm Anderson Malcolm James Anderson (born 3 March 1935) is a former tennis player from Australia who was active from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s. He won the singles title at the 1957 U.S. National Championships and achieved his highest amateur rankin ...

(1958–1959) * Warren Olney III (1953–1957) *

Charles B. Murray Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

(1952–1953) * James M. McInerney (1950–1952) * Alexander M. Campbell (1948–1949) *

T. Vincent Quinn Thomas Vincent Quinn (March 16, 1903 – March 1, 1982) was an American jurist and politician from New York. He served as an assistant Attorney General and was elected to one term in the United States House of Representatives. He left Congre ...

(1947–1948) * Theron Caudle (1945–1947) * Tom C. Clark (1943–1945) * Wendell Berge (1940–1943) *

O. John Rogge Oetje John Rogge () (October 12, 1903 – March 22, 1981) was an American attorney who prosecuted cases for the United States government, investigated Nazi activities in the United States, and in private practice was associated with civil righ ...

(1939–1940) * Brien McMahon (1936–1939) *

Joseph B. Keenan Joseph Berry Keenan (11 January 1888, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island – 8 December 1954, in Asheboro, North Carolina

(1934–1936) * Pat Malloy (1933) *

E. Nugent Dodds E is the fifth letter of the Latin alphabet. E or e may also refer to: Commerce and transportation * €, the symbol for the euro, the European Union's standard currency unit * ℮, the estimated sign, an EU symbol indicating that the weig ...

(1931–1933) *

Oscar R. Luhring Oscar Raymond Luhring (February 11, 1879 – August 18, 1944) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as a United States representative from Indiana and an Associate Justice of the District Court of the United States for the District of Col ...

(1925–1930) * William J. Donovan (1924–1925) *

Earl J. Davis Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant " chieftain", particula ...

(1924) * John Crim (1921–1923) *

Robert P. Stewart The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

(1919–1921)

National Security Division

Environment and Natural Resources Division

* Ramsey Clark (1961–1965) Lands Division *

Jeffrey Clark Jeffrey Bossert Clark (born April 17, 1967) is an American lawyer who was Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division from 2018 to 2021. In September 2020, he was also appointed acting head of the Civil Divis ...

(2018–2021) *

Todd Kim Todd Sunhwae Kim is an American attorney serving as the United States Assistant Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division. He earlier served as the first Solicitor General for the Dis ...

(2021–present)

Justice Management Division

Lee J. Lofthus Lee may refer to: Name Given name * Lee (given name), a given name in English Surname * Chinese surnames romanized as Li or Lee: ** Li (surname 李) or Lee (Hanzi ), a common Chinese surname ** Li (surname 利) or Lee (Hanzi ), a Chinese ...

Tax Division

* Robert H. Jackson (1936–1938) *

Mabel Walker Willebrandt Mabel Walker Willebrandt (May 23, 1889 – April 6, 1963), popularly known to her contemporaries as the First Lady of Law, was a U.S. Assistant Attorney General from 1921 to 1929, handling cases concerning violations of the Volstead Act, federal ...

(1921–1929)

Office of Justice Programs

Laurie O. Robinson Laurie Robinson (born July 7, 1946) is an American scholar and public servant who has held multiple positions across government, academia, and the nonprofit sector. Robinson's most notable roles include serving as Assistant Attorney General in ...

Office of Legal Counsel

Office of Legal Policy

Viet D. Dinh Viet D. Dinh ( vi, Đinh Đồng Phụng Việt; born February 22, 1968) is a lawyer and a legal scholar who is Chief Legal and Policy Officer of Fox Corporation and who served as an Assistant Attorney General of the United States from 2001 to 2 ...

(2001–2003) *

Daniel J. Bryant Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength" ...

(2003–2005) *

Rachel Brand Rachel Lee Brand (born May 1, 1973) is an American lawyer, academic, and former government official. She served as the United States Associate Attorney General from May 22, 2017, until February 20, 2018, when she resigned to take a job as head of ...

(2005–2007) * Elisebeth C. Cook (2008–2009) * Christopher H. Schroeder (2010–2012) * Beth Ann Williams (2017–2020) * Hampton Dellinger (2021–present)

Office of Legislative Affairs

* Carlos Uriarte (nominee) *

Peter Hyun Peter Hyun (August 15, 1906 - August 25, 1993) was an American director and writer. He was the director at the Federal Theater Project of New York. His play '' Revolt of the Beavers'' became the first production of the Works Progress Administratio ...

(November 2021 – present; acting) * Helaine Greenfeld (January 2021 – November 2021; acting) *

Stephen Boyd Stephen Boyd (born William Millar; 4 July 1931 – 2 June 1977) was a Northern Irish actor. He appeared in some 60 films, most notably as the villainous Messala in ''Ben-Hur'' (1959), a role that earned him the Golden Globe Award for Be ...

(August 2017 – January 2021) *

Peter J. Kadzik Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

(June 2014 – January 2017) * Judith C. Appelbaum (June 13, 2012–?) * Ronald H. Weich (April 29, 2009 – April 25, 2012) * Richard Hertling (2003–2007) * Daniel J. Bryant (2001–2003) *

Robert Raben Robert Raben (born November 11, 1963) is the founder and president of the Washington, D.C.-based lobbying and consulting firm The Raben Group, and was Assistant Attorney General at the Department of Justice under former President Bill Clinton. ...

(1999–2001) * Jon Jennings ''Acting'' (1998–1999) * L. Anthony Sutin (1998) * John R. Bolton (1985–1989) * Robert A. McConnell (1981–1985) * Patricia Wald (1977–1979) * Michael Uhlmann (1975–1977) *

Mitch McConnell Addison Mitchell McConnell III (born February 20, 1942) is an American politician and retired attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Kentucky and the Senate minority leader since 2021. Currently in his seventh term, McConn ...

(1975, acting) * W. Vincent Rakestraw (March 3, 1974 – February 1, 1975) * Mike McKevitt (1973)

References

{{DOJ agencies Assistant Attorney General Attorney General, assistant