Assistant General Counsel (Intelligence)
Joseph P. Duenas
Mr. Duenas is the Assistant General Counsel (Intelligence) within the Office of
the General Counsel. Mr. Duenas was selected for this position in October, 2008.
As AGC (I), Mr. Duenas is responsible for legal oversight of classified programs
and activities executed or supported by the Department of the Navy.
Mr. Duenas clerked with the Naval Air Systems Command in 1977 and joined the Office
of the General Counsel, Department of the Navy, in August 1978 following his graduation
from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. His initial assignment
as an Assistant Counsel at the Naval Electronic Systems Command (1978-1980) involved
serving as legal advisor to various communications and undersea warfare programs.
This assignment was followed by duties as Assistant Counsel at the Joint Cruise Missile
Project Office (JCMPO) (1980-1982). At JCMPO, he provided legal advice to the Project
during the development and initial production of the Air Force’s Air Launched Cruise
Missile and Ground Launched Cruise Missile and the Navy’s Tomahawk weapons system.
His duties at JCMPO included overseeing and defending, before various forums, the results
of numerous competitive acquisitions and participating closely in the establishment of
multiple sources for the missile and its major components, implementing such techniques
as leader follower procurement. He also served as the Project’s Deputy Equal Employment
Opportunity Officer. As a Trial Attorney at the Navy Litigation Office (1982-1984), Mr.
Duenas litigated construction cases and other disputes before the Armed Services Board of
Contract Appeals and assisted the Justice Department in federal court litigation. His
duties as Associate Counsel at the Space and Naval Warfare systems Command (1984-1987)
included responsibility for providing legal advice in the acquisition of major electronic
warfare, radar and communications systems and in the negotiation of international memorandums
of understanding for various programs including NATO Link 11 and NULKA. He joined the Special
Projects Division as an Associate Counsel in 1987 and became Counsel, Special Projects, in 1989.
As the Counsel, Mr. Duenas was responsible for supporting classified programs executed by the
Navy, the Department of Defense, and other government agencies. The attorneys and staff
assigned to Special Projects practice numerous areas of law including intelligence and
national security law; system acquisition including major systems, interagency and international
acquisition; intellectual property law; construction; employment law; fiscal law; ethics
and standards of conduct; information disclosure law (Freedom of Information and Privacy Act);
and, litigation.