Daniel R. Murray is the Chief Counsel of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, serving as the chief legal advisor to the Commander of the Corps of Engineers and other senior civilian and military leaders within USACE. Mr. Murray is responsible for leading the Corps’ entire legal services system, which is comprised of more than 700 legal professionals in 63 offices worldwide. He oversees the provision of all legal guidance and support concerning the Corps’ multi-billion dollar water resources development, military construction, disaster relief assistance, environmental restoration, real property, and international/interagency support activities. In 2024, Mr. Murray received a prestigious Presidential Rank Award.
Prior to becoming Chief Counsel, Mr. Murray served as Deputy Chief Counsel for the Corps from 2019 to 2025, where he assisted the Chief Counsel in providing legal services across the full spectrum of USACE missions, and in developing and implementing policies and procedures governing legal activities throughout the Corps to achieve and maintain uniformity in the application of legal principles within the Army.
Before entering the Senior Executive Service, Mr. Murray served from 2014-2017 as the Associate Deputy Chief Counsel where he oversaw the attorney development as well as the creation and execution of legal strategic initiatives. He led the overhaul of the Chief Counsel’s Honors Program, increased the number of senior attorney positions across the Corps, and oversaw the transition to a new rating system.
From 2011-2014, he served as the Assistant Chief Counsel for Real Estate Law with responsibilities for the acquisition, leasing, management, and disposal of DoD real property, as well as advising the Chief Counsel on the real estate aspects of litigation. From 2002-2011, Mr. Murray advised clients on a variety of legal challenges as an Associate Counsel for Legislation, Fiscal, and General Law. He provided full service legal advice relating to construction projects in Iraq and Afghanistan, emergency response and construction related to Hurricane Katrina and the 2011 Mississippi River Flooding, and privately-funded improvements to USACE hydropower projects.
He served as Captain in the Army JAG Corps from 2002-2006, assigned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
He graduated, magna cum laude, from the George Mason University School of Law and holds bachelor of arts degrees in both philosophy and history from Seattle University. He is a member of the District of Columbia Bar. Mr. Murray has received the E. Manning Seltzer Award for legal accomplishment and the Joseph W. Kimbel Award for professional potential.