Life in the Office of General Counsel
The Office of General Counsel (OGC), which is a part of the Kennedy Center’s Office of the President, advocates for and protects the legal interests of the Kennedy Center and its affiliate organizations, Washington National Opera (WNO) and the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO). OGC works closely with offices across the Kennedy Center to help manage/mitigate risk and develop operational and programmatic strategies in support of the Kennedy Center’s mission. Specifically, OGC provides advice and counsel to the Board of Trustees, the President, the leadership team, WNO, NSO, as well as staff in various Kennedy Center offices on a wide range of legal matters including the Kennedy Center’s federal and trust nature and administration, intellectual property, employment and labor law, contracts, ethics, governance, tort claims, policy and regulatory matters, etc. to ensure the Kennedy Center is compliant with applicable laws and regulations.
Team Mission
The mission of OGC is to collaborate with Kennedy Center departments and affiliates, to provide strategic advice and counsel to minimize risks and associated costs, reduce litigation exposure, ensure legal compliance, and to do so efficiently, expeditiously, reliably and professionally.
Fun Facts
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Combined, the Kennedy Center OGC has over 85 years’ worth of experience practicing law.
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We hate being the office of “no” and would rather be the office of “we will help you get there” (most of the time).
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The first female lawyer in the United States was an Iowan named Arabella Mansfield. She was admitted to the Iowa Bar in 1869.
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We remain neutral on “how many lawyers does it take?” jokes.