Legal Counsel of the Federal Executive

The Legal Counsel of the Federal Executive (Consejero Jurídico del Ejecutivo Federal, CJEF) is a government official who, alongside the 19 secretaries of state, is a member of the cabinet of the President of Mexico. The purpose of the office of the legal counsel (Consejería Jurídica del Ejecutivo Federal) is to review and validate legal instruments that are submitted to the president for consideration, such as decrees, agreements, legislative bills or constitutional reforms. Its other tasks include drafting or assisting in the drafting of bills that are to be presented to the Congress of the Union. It also represents the president in unconstitutionality actions or constitutional controversies as provided for in the Constitution and represents him or her in all lawsuits in which he or she is a party.

History
The office of the Legal Counsel of the Federal Executive was created on 15 May 1996 during the administration of Ernesto Zedillo. By means of constitutional amendments enacted on 30 December 2015, article 26 of the Organic Law of the Federal Public Administration was revised to raise the office of the Legal Counsel to cabinet status.

Functions
The functions of the CJEF are set out in articles 43, 43-bis and 43-ter of the Organic Law of the Federal Public Administration. They include:
 * To support the president in such legal matters as he or she may request.
 * To consider and give its opinion on any bill sent by the president to Congress.
 * To receive bills and initiatives that the secretariats of state seek to submit to Congress, at least one month in advance.
 * To head the federal government's Legal Studies Commission, which is made up of representatives of the legal areas of each agency of the federal public administration.

Legal Counsels of the Federal Executive

 * Germán Aguirre Fernández, 15 May 1996 to 30 November 2000.
 * Juan de Dios Castro Lozano, 1 December 2000 to 20 March 2003.
 * María Teresa Herrera Tello, 3 April 2003 to 11 November 2004.
 * Daniel Francisco Cabeza de Vaca, 11 November 2004 to 27 April 2005.
 * Juan de Dios Castro Lozano, 12 November 2005 to 30 November 2006.
 * Daniel Francisco Cabeza de Vaca, 1 December 2006 to 28 January 2008.
 * Miguel Alessio Robles Landa, 28 January 2008 to 30 November 2012.
 * Humberto Castillejos Cervantes, 1 December 2012 to 9 June 2017.
 * Misha Leonel Granados, 9 June 2017 to 30 November 2018.
 * Julio Scherer Ibarra, 1 December 2018 to 2 September 2021.
 * María Estela Ríos González, incumbent since 2 September 2021.
 * Ernestina Godoy Ramos, designated by president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum to take office on 1 October 2024.