The officeholder is the chief lawyer and law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The officeholder also acts as an advocate and resource for the Commonwealth and its residents in many areas, including consumer protection, combating fraud and corruption, protecting civil rights, and maintaining economic competition.

Any person seeking to become the attorney general of Massachusetts must meet the following requirements:[1] When the 1780 state constitution was first enacted, the attorney general was appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the Governor's Council.

The Office of the Attorney General is organized into six bureaus: Executive; Energy and Environmental; Criminal; Government; Health Care and Fair Competition; and Public Protection and Advocacy.

These bureaus and divisions have distinct missions but work closely together to ensure the Attorney General's Office provides the highest level of public protection.