Deputy General Counsel Department of the Navy

Thomas N. Ledvina

As the Deputy General Counsel of the Department of the Navy, Mr. Ledvina’s responsibilities are similar to those of the managing partner of a very large, international law firm representing clients with business lines worth over $179 billion. He serves with the General Counsel and the Principal Deputy General Counsel as the Office of General Counsel’s (OGC) senior leadership team. He is responsible for establishing and implementing policies for the recruitment, hiring, promotion, and professional development of the approximately 750 attorneys who make up the OGC. He is responsible for efficient organization and professional resource allocation within OGC, especially for the legal offices providing legal advice to the Secretariat. He also supervises OGC’s Freedom of Information Act Program, the Department’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Program, and provision of legal advice to the Auditor General of the Navy.

Mr. Ledvina’s civilian career in OGC began when he was selected as the Deputy Assistant General Counsel (Installations and Environment) in September 1995 after retiring from active duty in the Navy as a Captain. He became a member of the Senior Executive Service in January 2003 and served as the Assistant General Counsel (Installations and Environment) from January 2003 until January 2007, providing the Assistant Secretary with legal advice on environmental, real estate, safety, and base closure issues. From January 2007 to August 2010, he served as Associate General Counsel (Litigation), where he was responsible overall for a caseload of approximately 1300 government contract, environmental, civilian personnel, and international litigation cases worth $17 billion.

Mr. Ledvina received his Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1971 and was commissioned as a line officer. Following graduation, he served as a Weapons/Supply Officer aboard USS Beacon, (PG-99) from 1971 to 1974. He then served as Combat Information Center Officer aboard USS Luce (DLG-7) from 1974 to 1975. He qualified as Officer of the Deck, Tactical Action Officer, and was designated a Surface Warfare Officer. In 1975 he was selected for the Law Education Program and attended the Ohio State University, receiving a Juris Doctor degree.

Upon graduation from law school, he conducted and supervised criminal litigation at Naval Legal Service Office, Norfolk, Naval Legal Service Office Detachment, Naval Air Station, Oceana, and Naval Legal Service Office, Pearl Harbor, where he also served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for civil litigation. Mr. Ledvina also served as Legal Advisor to the Commandant of the U.S. Naval Academy, providing advice on a variety of administrative law, education law, and litigation issues.

After being selected for postgraduate education in environmental law, Mr. Ledvina attended the University of Virginia, receiving a Master of Laws degree in 1987. He conducted and supervised litigation, especially environmental litigation, for the Office of the Judge Advocate General, eventually being named Deputy Assistant Judge Advocate General (General Litigation).