(a)      The Attorney General shall be the legal adviser to the Department.

      (b)      He shall assign to the Department such number of assistant Attorneys General as are now authorized by law to be assigned to the various departments, agencies, boards, commissions, councils, or units which are, or may hereafter by law be deemed to be, part of the Department; and he shall also assign to the Department such additional number of assistant Attorneys General as may hereafter be authorized by law for such Department. One of the said assistant Attorneys General shall be designated by the Attorney General as counsel to the Department. The counsel to the Department shall have no duty other than to render, subject to the discretion and control of the Attorney General, such legal aid, advice and counsel as the Secretary, the Commission, and the other officials of said Department may require, and the supervision of the other assistant Attorneys General assigned to the Department. After the Attorney General has designated an assistant Attorney General to serve as counsel to the Department, the Attorney General shall not reassign said counsel without consultation with the Secretary. The counsel to the Department, and the other assistant Attorneys General so employed, shall each perform such legal duties for the Department as the Attorney General may, from time to time, assign to them; and the Attorney General is hereby authorized to assign to them, and each of them, the performance subject to his discretion and control, of any of the duties with respect to said Department required of him by law. All such assistant Attorneys General shall be practicing lawyers of the State of Maryland, in good standing, and they shall receive such compensation as shall be provided in the State budget.

      (c)      This section does not apply to any divisions, commissions, boards, authorities or other agencies within the Department to the extent that such divisions, commissions, boards, authorities or other agencies are authorized by law to employ their own legal advisers or counsel.