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

      (b)      (1)      With the advice of the Secretary, the Attorney General shall assign at least 1 assistant Attorney General to the Central Collection Unit.

            (2)      At the request of the Governor, the Attorney General shall assign to the Department:

                  (i)      at least 1 assistant Attorney General; and

                  (ii)      any other assistant Attorneys General authorized by law to be assigned to the Department.

      (c)      (1)      The Attorney General shall designate 1 of the assistant Attorneys General assigned to the Department as counsel to the Department. After the Attorney General designates the counsel to the Department, the Attorney General may not reassign the counsel without consulting the Secretary.

            (2)      The counsel may have no duty other than to give the legal aid, advice, and counsel required by the Secretary or any other official of the Department, to supervise the other assistant Attorneys General assigned to the Department and its Central Collection Unit, and to perform for the Department the duties that the Attorney General assigns. The counsel shall perform these duties subject to the control and supervision of the Attorney General.

      (d)      Each assistant Attorney General who is assigned to the Central Collection Unit shall devote full time to the duties with that Unit and may have no other duties.

      (e)      The Secretary may contract with another attorney to handle on an agreed case by case basis a collection for the Central Collection Unit if it is not feasible for any of the assistant Attorneys General assigned to the Unit to handle the collection.