Nicholas Resendes Email and Phone Number

Furnishes legal counsel, advice, and guidance to Coast Guard Officials over a wide spectrum of complex and difficult legal matters. The majority of this position’s responsibilities involve litigation in the Coast Guard in the areas of civilian personnel, including adverse actions, equal employment opportunity complaints, whistleblower investigations, and labor relations issues. The vast majority of the work is substantive legal analysis, advice, and advocacy. Prepare cases and matters for administrative review, foresees problems in poorly defined or unusually complex legal positions that affect the Coast Guard. Conduct legal briefings and makes oral legal presentations at meetings, seminars, and federal agency adjudicatory forums, as required. Provide legal advice and assistance concerning and to support litigation, or potential litigation, and other compliance matters. Provide legal representation in all civilian employment litigation across the Coast Guard.

Review inter-agency financial agreements, debt waiver claims, and internal memoranda relating to fiscal decisions. Research legal authority and provide informal written advisory opinions to clients concerning the use of Coast Guard funds. Respond to time sensitive requests from internal and external stakeholders.

Coordinate and furnish legal counsel, advice, and guidance to Coast Guard officials in Headquarters and the field concerning the preparation and drafting of legislative change proposals. Provide drafting services in preparing legislative texts, analyses, and ancillary documents in response to requests originating from Congress, other Executive Branch agencies, and Coast Guard program offices. Evaluate proposed legislation, executive orders, and other legislative materials for their foreseeable effect on Coast Guard programs. Prepare or edit complex legislative proposals, responses to policy inquires, letters, legal memoranda, and testimony. Created and led a substantive presentation on the functions of the Coast Guard legislative counsel’s office and legislative process.

Conducted legal review of interagency financial agreements, debt waiver claims, and internal memoranda relating to fiscal decisions. Represented the agency against employment discrimination claims. Negotiated settlement agreements during mediations. Participated in a status conference with an administrative law judge and opposing counsel. Recommended case strategy to agency leadership and provided regular updates on high-priority cases with congressional interest. Filed a successful motion with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Conducted legal research. Communicated with witnesses and complainants.

Coordinated the review and clearance of other Executive Branch agencies’ draft legislation, testimony, and letters. Prepared and organized the review and clearance of Statements of Administration Policy, which expressed the Administration's position on legislation before Congress. Monitored important legislative developments and informed OMB and other White House officials of upcoming congressional votes, hearings, and mark-ups. Prepared enrolled bill memoranda (signed by the OMB Director and presented to the President) on legislation passed by Congress and sent to the President for approval or veto.

Provide legal research and writing assistance to Connecticut Superior Court judges on pending criminal and civil matters. Draft legal memoranda on motions to dismiss, motions to strike, and motions for summary judgment. Prepare for weekly motions calendar. Discuss court cases with judges.

Researched and drafted a memorandum articulating the legal rationale for exempting military justice reforms from certain United States Code requirements. Researched relevant statutory authority and legislative history relating to the funding of the Coast Guard Yard. Helped formulate the Coast Guard’s position on the proposed Coast Guard Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2015 and 2016. Attended week-long Missions Law course about the Coast Guard’s operations and its legal capabilities. Attended oral arguments at the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Department of Homeland Security. Earned Spirit of Excellence Award.

Drafted bench memoranda for criminal and civil cases, identifying and analyzing the issues on appeal and recommending an outcome for each issue. Conducted extensive research for the bench memoranda by interpreting relevant state statutes and cases. Helped draft a decision after reviewing relevant authority and the record before the court. Assisted Justice Flaherty’s clerks with cite-checking and performing the final read-through of opinions. Discussed pending cases with Justice Flaherty and his clerks before and after oral arguments. Observed oral arguments.

Drafted two substantive legislative proposals, one to align the mandates of four cabinet departments with regard to the regulation of cruise vessels and the other to correct technical errors that had been codified over time. Formulated the Coast Guard’s views on pending and proposed legislation. Prepared various documents used by the Judge Advocate General for a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on sexual assault in the military. Earned Certificate of Appreciation.