The County Attorney, Leon Rodriguez is the chief legal officer for Montgomery County. The Office of the County Attorney provides legal advice and services to County departments, agencies, boards, and commissions, as well as the County Council. Members of the office:

• Research legal issues and provide opinions
• Prepare and present legislation
• Negotiate and prepare agreements and other documents on behalf of the County
• Draft resolutions and ordinances
• Acquire and convey title to real property
• Represent the County in court and before various administrative bodies
• Collect various County fees and charges

Division of Insurance Defense Litigation

Provides legal defense for cases involving Montgomery County and fourteen local government Self-Insurance Fund participants (including such entities as the Montgomery County Board of Education, City of Rockville, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery College and the Housing Opportunities Commission) and all of their employees. The attorneys appear regularly before state and federal courts in Maryland and the District of Columbia for trials and oral arguments and before the Workers' Compensation Commission. These cases involve litigation in the following areas:

• Common law torts
• Police civil rights claims
• Other federal and state civil rights – constitutional torts
• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• Workers' compensation
• Employment discrimination

The attorneys in this division act as counsel and give legal advice to the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Office of the Director and Management Services, Adult Mental Health, Aging and Disability Services, Children Youth and Family Services, Child Welfare Services, Crisis, Income and Victim Services, Emergency Services and Public Health Services.

The attorneys also represent Child Welfare Services in the Juvenile Court, in cases involving child abuse and child neglect, and Aging and Disability Services in the Circuit Court, in adult guardianship cases.

Acts as counsel and gives legal advice to the County Executive, County Council, and to several County departments, agencies, boards, and commissions. The Division represents the County Government in tax and procurement matters before State, Federal, and local administrative agencies and courts; drafts and reviews agreements, legislation, regulations, and other legal documents; conducts negotiations; prepares and issues legal opinions. The Division also handles the publication of the Montgomery County Code, Code of Regulations, and County Attorney Opinions, and prepares the budget for the Office.

Division of Human Resources and Appeals

Attorneys in this Division act as counsel and give legal advice to the following agencies: Montgomery Fire and Rescue Services, Ethics Commission, Board of Investment Trustees, Office of Human Resources, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, Office of Public Information, Department of Public Works and Transportation (Transit Services Division, Taxicab Unit), Human Rights Commission, Board of Appeals, and the Police Department (Internal Affairs Division).

Attorneys in this Division also defend or prosecute contested cases involving the County, Self-Insurance Fund agencies, and their employees, while pending before State and Federal appellate courts.

Division of Zoning, Land Use, and Economic Development

Represents and advises the County Executive, the County Council, and various County departments, including the Department of Public Works and Transportation, the Department of Housing and Community Affairs, the Department of Economic Development, and the Department of Libraries. Represents and advises agencies and commissions, including the Historic Preservation Commission, the Revenue Authority, Community Use of Public Schools, and the Cable Compliance Commission. Advises the County Executive and County Council regarding telecommunications and cable matters. Represents the County with respect to land acquisitions and real estate transactions. Represents the County before federal, state, and administrative courts. Drafts legal opinions and amendments to the County code and County regulations.

Division of Public Interest Litigation

Acts as counsel and gives legal advice to the Police Department, the Departments of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection, Permitting Services, Consumer Affairs, and Recreation. It also provides counsel to the Office of Landlord and Tenant Affairs, the Board of Licensing Commissioners, the Historic Preservation Commission and the Inspector General's Office. This representation includes representing these entities in contested cases before County Board of Appeals and in both State and Federal courts, and prosecutes forfeitures under the drug laws in the Circuit Court. The Division also drafts and reviews agreements, legislation, regulations, and other legal documents. Attorneys from the Division conduct negotiations, issue legal opinions, and testify before public bodies.

Primarily responsible for the processing and prosecution of code enforcement violations from all departments, agencies, boards, and commissions which are presented in the District Court of Maryland. The Division also collects all monies owed to Montgomery County that have been referred to the County Attorney, including past due personal property taxes, code enforcement judgments, subrogation claims, bounced checks, unpaid fines, and miscellaneous amounts billed by the County.