Assistant attorneys general are responsible for leading a significant number of the departments and agencies that make up the United States Department of Justice.
Assistant attorneys general either report to the deputy attorney general (in the case of the Criminal Division, the Justice Management Division, and the Offices of Legal Counsel, Legislative Affairs, and Legal Policy) or to the associate attorney general. The Criminal Division, the Justice Management Division, and the Offices of Legal Counsel, Legislative Affairs, and Legal Policy all report to the deputy attorney general (in the case of the Antitrust, Civil, Civil Rights, Environment & Natural Resources, and Tax Divisions and the Office of Justice Programs).