The 2023 Governors’ Legal Counsel Convening was held on June 15-16th in Chicago, Illinois. Hosted by the National Governors Association, the event brought together Governors’ chief legal counsel, general counsel, and deputy legal counsel to discuss a variety of legal and policy issues, hear from national legal experts, and share best practices.
Over 70 representatives from 36 states and territories attended the convening. Topics of discussion included:
- Gubernatorial powers and responsibilities;
- Harnessing executive emergency authorities;
- Separation of powers;
- Building sustainable legal partnerships within and outside the state;
- Public records laws;
- Clemency; and
- Ethics and compliance policies.
Participants also discussed the unique role of the Governors’ legal counsel, and other topics related to counsel’s responsibility to provide legal advice to their Governors and their role in helping lead and manage the Governor’s administration.
General Counsel for Governor JB Pritzker opened the meeting and welcomed participants to Illinois. The meeting included a number of discussion-based plenary sessions, as well as a keynote address from U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas. Attending counsel served as both presenters and discussants.
For more information, please reach out to Lauren Dedon (Ldedon@nga.org).
