Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard 2010 Annual Report

Finance Division
Chief Counsel Mark Wilson
Mission:
The Finance Division
supports the Attorney
General’s Office with a
multidisciplinary team
of information services,
financial and legal
professionals. We
provide legal advice,
litigation, budgetary,
contract, accounting
and financial control
services to the Office
and to the Executive
and Judicial Branches
of State Government.
Division Summary
The Finance Division is comprised
of four Sections: the
Administrative Law Section,
Bankruptcy and Collection
Enforcement Section, the
Financial Services Section
and the Information Services
Sections.
The Administrative Law
Section (ALS) is comprised
of lawyers and legal support
teams. ALS represents approximately
60 State agencies
in matters concerning public
monies, procurement, finance,
open meetings, public records,
general agency advice and any
related litigation. Clients include
the Judiciary (and its associated
programs), Secretary of State,
Department of Administration,
Department of Commerce, Department
of Corrections, Department
of Emergency and Military
Affairs, Department of Homeland
Significant Organizational Change in the Office
The creation of the Finance Division marked the first major organizational change in the Attorney
General’s Office in the last decade. In FY07, ALS and FSS were moved from other Divisions into
the newly created Finance Division. In FY08, ISS was moved into the Division, and in FY09, BCE
came aboard. The Division strives to bring the legal and business sides of the Office together to
improve the work product of both. By working together as a Division, ALS is better able to observe
the effect and consequences of legal advice it may give, thus helping the Section tailor its advice
to better serve the business needs of the State.
Security, Department of Housing,
Department of Gaming, Government
Information and Technology
Agency, Arizona Exposition and
State Fair, State Retirement and
the State Lottery, to name a few.
State bonding issues, providing
procurement advice, and assisting
agencies with licensing and
certification issues. Other tasks
include prosecuting enforcement
actions and defending claims
The Bankruptcy and Collection
Enforcement Section
(BCE) is comprised of lawyers,
collectors and legal support
teams. BCE represents virtually
all state agencies in debtrelated
matters. In FY2010,
or actions against the agencies.
Because of the number of clients,
ALS’ successes are measured BCE collected $12.4 million that
ALS deals with a wide range
in its partnerships with the client state agencies had been unable
of legal issues. ALS’ 60-plus
agencies and the assistance it to obtain. BCE’s debt collection
agencies are represented by
provides them in performing their responsibilities range from routine
collection and bankruptcy
12 Assistant Attorneys General.
statutory missions in a creative
These lawyers are the State’s experts
on public monies, procure-
and cost-effective manner and matters to complex litigation to
its ability to deal effectively with establish debt. For example, in
ment, contracting and financial
litigation matters when they arise. FY10, BCE collected over $3.5
issues. ALS’ responsibilities
million dollars on behalf of the
include negotiating multi-million
Department of Transportation in
dollar contracts, assisting in
the Flying J bankruptcy case.
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard • 2010 Annual Report
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