Instructors: The Honorable Noel L. Hillman and John Giordano
3 credits, WI (2 meeting hours, plus one credit for intensive writing work)
This course examines the influence of politics upon the U.S. Department of Justice, and
the intricate relationship between policies set by the White House and the DOJ mandate to enforce
federal law.
The course focuses on the genesis and function of the DOJ as “The Nation's Law Firm”,
and the issues that arise as the DOJ, an executive agency under the direction of the President,
fulfills its duty to its number one client. We will begin by taking an in-depth look into the
political appointment and function of the DOJ key management and its role in the appointment of
federal prosecutors and judges. We will then take a top down approach, focusing on the impact
that policy set by the White House, and carried out by its appointees, influences the Department's
divisions, offices, and programs.
The course then zeros in on the role of one of the most important offices within the DOJ,
that of the U.S. Attorneys. We will highlight the interaction between the U.S. Attorneys and the
other DOJ agencies, and ultimately focus on the tools used by Assistant U.S. Attorneys to enforce
the law.
The course will conclude with an examination of the revolving door between the DOJ and
the private sector.