Legal Advisories
The Legal Advisories page contains the DAEOgrams on substantive ethics issues published by OGE from 1992 to 2010, the Advisory Opinions published by OGE from 1979 to 2010, and the Legal Advisories, which OGE began publishing in 2011. On occasion, OGE will add notes to past guidance documents when that guidance is updated or superseded by law, regulation, or subsequent OGE guidance.
11/20/2017
LA-17-11: Recent Court Case Interpreting 18 U.S.C. §§ 203 and 205; Receipt of Attorney’s Fees
This Legal Advisory provides a copy of a court case involving the application of the Federal ethics laws to the acceptance of attorney's fees by an employee who is a client to litigation.
09/28/2017
LA-17-10: Clarification of Past Legal Defense Fund Guidance Provided in OGE Informal Advisory Opinion 93x21
This Legal Advisory clarifies that the discussion in OGE Informal Advisory Opinion 93x21 concerning the acceptance of donations from anonymous sources does not, and has not, reflected OGE's views since shortly after the issuance of that opinion.
08/14/2017
LA-17-09: The Application of the Ethics Laws to Interns
This Legal Advisory describes the application of the Federal ethics laws to student interns. As described in the Legal Advisory, the Federal ethics laws will have different application to student interns based on what legal authority they are hired under and whether they qualify as Special Government Employees or as Regular Employees.
08/07/2017
LA-17-08: 2016 Conflict of Interest Prosecution Survey
OGE has completed its annual survey of prosecutions involving the conflict of interest criminal statutes and other related statutes for the period January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016.
06/08/2017
LA-17-07: Increased Gifts and Travel Reimbursements Reporting Threshold for Financial Disclosure Reports and Nonsponsor Widely Attended Gatherings Gift Exception Ceiling
This Legal Advisory discusses the recent amendments to the gifts and travel reimbursements reporting threshold at 5 C.F.R. §§ 2634.304 and 2634.907(g) and the widely attended gathering (WAG) gift exception ceiling for nonsponsor gifts of free attendance at 5 C.F.R. § 2635.204(g)(3).
06/01/2017
LA-17-06: Annual Update of 18 U.S.C. § 207(c) Component Designations
In this Legal Advisory, OGE asks each agency to forward to OGE its annual letter stating whether its components that are currently designated should remain designated for purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 207(c). Any request to modify the existing list of components should be submitted in accordance with regulatory procedures.
05/16/2017
LA-17-05: Legislative Activity of the 114th Congress Affecting the Executive Branch Ethics Program
The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) monitors ethics-related provisions of interest to the executive branch ethics program. This Legal Advisory highlights legislative activity from the 114th Congress affecting the executive branch ethics program
04/18/2017
LA-17-04: Identifying a “Sponsor” under the Gift Rules for Purposes of the Free Attendance Exclusion and the Widely Attended Gatherings Exception
This Legal Advisory assists agencies in identifying a “sponsor” of an event for purposes of the Free Attendance Exclusion and the Widely Attended Gatherings (WAG) Exception to the gift rules in the Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 C.F.R. 2635.203(b)(8) and 5 C.F.R. 2635.204(g).
03/20/2017
LA-17-03: Guidance on Executive Order 13770
This Legal Advisory identifies the parts of OGE’s past advisories on Executive Order 13490 that are applicable to Executive Order 13770 and provides additional guidance based on discussions with the Counsel to the President’s Office.
02/06/2017
LA-17-02: Executive Order 13770
This Legal Advisory makes available for agency use a copy of Executive Order 13770 and the Ethics Pledge form. It also explains the extent to which OGE’s legal advisories applicable to Executive Order 13490 may be read as being applicable to Executive Order 13770.
01/05/2017
LA-17-01: Effect of Pay Adjustments on Ethics Provisions for Calendar Year 2017
This Legal Advisory clarifies the 2017 thresholds for: (1) determining which senior employees are subject to the post-employment restrictions; (2) identifying which officers and employees must file public financial disclosure reports; and (3) implementing the outside employment and outside earned income restrictions for certain covered noncareer employees.