A directive from the governor to cut state agencies’ spending may crimp the state Law Department’s efforts to bolster its staff and rely less on outside, contracted attorneys.

In late July, Governor Nathan Deal asked state agencies to consider ways to cut their budgets in order to yield about $553 million in savings through June 2014. Roughly half that money would come from higher education and public health budgets and K-12 education funding would be exempt, the Associated Press reported.