Attorney General Brown outlines audit response, office reorganization and transparency moves

At a meeting of the Criminal Justice Appropriation Subcommittee, Attorney General Brown said his office has responded to legislative audits and implemented organizational and transparency changes, including releasing his weekly calendar to the public and creating a new consumer protection department.

The updates matter because the attorney general's office serves as the state of Utah's principal legal counsel; Brown told the committee the changes aim to improve management, transparency and the office's readiness for technological changes such as artificial intelligence.

Nate Osborne, the subcommittee analyst, introduced the agenda item as a follow-up to audits that were previously reported to the committee. "This is an opportunity for the AG's office...to officially reply to the audit," Osborne said.

Attorney General Brown told committee members that the audits identified issues "that made a lot of sense for us to address" and that the office has taken steps both in response to the audits and in ongoing internal reviews. "First of all, let me just set my ultimate goal here in terms of the overall objective for the office is for it to be the best law firm in the state," Brown said. He added, "We are the largest law firm in the state. We have a very large client, otherwise known as the state of Utah."

Brown described several concrete changes: the office has been restructured into four departments—civil, criminal, consumer protection and appeals—with 17 division directors overseeing work across those areas; administrative functions such as human resources, information technology, information services and finance have been centralized under a new administrative lead; and the office hired former state auditor John Dougal to run the administrative area. Brown said the office employs "about 600 people and about 300 attorneys." He also said he releases his calendar weekly: "I would release my calendar. And not only do I release it, but every week on Monday, anybody who wants it, including members of the media, get my calendar for the week in their inbox."

Brown said the office is preparing for technological change, noting that "AI is completely shifting the dynamics of the legal world" and that the office is aiming to move into the 21st century. He described internal outreach and morale-building efforts such as a recent picnic attended by "several hundred people."

Brown highlighted recent litigation outcomes the office considers wins: he said the office defeated Roussell v. State, a case that argued fossil-fuel development infringed on children's constitutional rights; and successfully defended a state law that overhauled vaping regulations against constitutional challenges. When asked about outside counsel, Brown said he believed Wilson Sonsini had served as counsel on at least some matters. He also referenced another pending matter involving the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

Committee members did not take formal action on the item; the session was framed as a follow-up and opportunity for the attorney general to respond to the legislative audits and describe steps taken since the earlier report. The subcommittee heard the report, asked clarifying questions and did not vote on any motions related to the audit response during the segment recorded in the transcript.