---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 3421"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "3421"
heading: "Office of General Counsel"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/3421"
units:
  - "Chapter 48 — Department of Education"
  - "Subchapter II — Establishment of the Department"
---

# §3421. Office of General Counsel


There shall be in the [Department](/usc/20/3404.md?p=1) an [Office](/usc/20/3404.md?p=7) of General Counsel, to be administered by the General Counsel appointed under [section 3412(b) of this title](/usc/20/3412.md?p=b). The General Counsel shall provide legal assistance to the [Secretary](/usc/20/3404.md?p=2) concerning the programs and policies of the [Department](/usc/20/3404.md?p=1).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–88, title II, § 210, formerly § 211, Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 675; renumbered § 210, Pub. L. 103–382, title II, § 271(a)(2), Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3929.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 210 of Pub. L. 96–88 was renumbered section 209 and is classified to section 3420 of this title.