Washington, D.C.- September 18th, 2009
I met Mitch Hoban in March of 2009, just after President George W. Bush left office. He has been a friend, and member of our advisory board, ever since. Living in Chicago now, Mitch was kind enough to tell us about his experience working in the White House Counsel’s Office.
You started working in President Bush’s White House toward the end of his administration. What was it like coming into an office as the president was about to exit?
It was a very interesting time to work at the White House and experience all that a presidential transition entails. The White House Counsel’s Office reviewed the transition plans for all of the various offices, ensured that proper records were kept and oversaw the archival of all presidential records. President Bush encouraged the administration to “sprint to the finish,” and that is exactly what we did.
President Bush’s Counsel’s Office had 30 lawyers on staff, while President Obama’s currently has 41 lawyers. As someone who has worked in this office, is there a need for this increase in lawyers?
During the time I spent at the White House there was always a need for more lawyers. Most of the attorneys worked late into the night and weekends; however, it is necessary for any administration to balance the need for more staff with budget concerns.
During every administration, there are complaints of the counsel’s office being too politicized. However, this office is tasked with some very political assignments–assisting with Supreme Court nominations, signing and vetoing legislation, etc. Is any White House Counsel Office really devoid of politics?
Nothing is devoid of politics including the White House Counsel’s Office; however, the Counsel’s office is charged with the responsibility to counsel the president in his official capacity and must ensure that the actions of the president and his staff remain within the boundaries of the law.
Just how much of the daily work of the White House goes through the White House Counsel’s Office? You don’t really hear that much about the office until there is a scandal or problem.
The White House Counsel’s Office manages a heavy workload; it advises the president and administration on all legal aspects of legislation, policy and political activities. It handles all litigation the president is involved in, oversees pardons and clemency, and reviews all official statements of the president. The Counsel’s Office is also responsible for drafting executive orders and reviewing all ethical issues, conflicts of interest and financial disclosures.
You took time off from law school to work in the White House. Was it worth it? Was working in the White House everything the TV show “The West Wing” and the news make it out to be?
Yes, I am very grateful for my experience working at the White House and recommend that anyone who has the opportunity take advantage of it. The White House is a very exciting place to work.
The White House Counsel Office works on so many different assignments, what sort of day-to-day tasks did someone in your position work on?
I performed various legal research assignments, drafted memos, reviewed documents and aided in the day-to-day functions of the office.
Did the work you were doing feel as though it were helping achieve the overall goal of the counsel’s office or was it more detached and mundane?
I believe that any position in a presidential administration, no matter how minor, helps achieve the goals of the office and thus the president. The type of work I did was not the most high-level; however, all tasks were vital to the functioning of the office.
Were you able to interact with other White House offices and staff or was your work centralized in the counsel’s office?
My work was centralized in the Counsel’s office; however, I enjoyed interacting and socializing with staff in other offices. Outside of my role in the Counsel’s Office, I was able to help out at official events. I worked with the Advance Office at the G20 Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy and the Visitors Office at several official arrival ceremonies.
How did you find out about the available position in the counsel’s office? What was the application and interview process like?
I was appointed to the position while I was an intern in the office. My internship, like many others, served as an ongoing interview for the staff position. Internships are a great way to get your foot in the door and, if you work hard, can often lead into other positions.
Where have you been working since you left the White House? How does it hold up to your days in the counsel’s office?
I returned to Chicago where I am a student in a full-time joint J.D./M.B.A. program and a law clerk for a real estate developer. Nothing compares to walking through the gates of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue each morning on your way to work for the president of the United States of America. However, I stay involved in local and state politics and hope to become more involved in politics when I graduate.
