Assistant General Counsel, Federal Litigation

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 320,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 44,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life.  In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity.  Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Litigation Unit of the Board of Education’s Law Department represents the Board, and its employees, in civil suits filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County and in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.  The Litigation Unit also handles administrative matters and provides client counseling.

Job Summary: Under direct supervision of the Deputy and Assistant Deputy General Counsel, the Assistant General Counsel, Federal Litigation represents CPS and its agents in litigation pending primarily in the Northern District of Illinois, as well as administrative forums (e.g., EEOC, IDHR, and HRC). The Assistant General Counsel works with the Senior Assistant General Counsels and other AGC’s on the Federal Litigation team and has the opportunity to provide meaningful counsel to CPS leadership, informing policy decisions and resource allocation. Matters include employment related claims (e.g., Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA), civil rights claims brought under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983, substantive and procedural due process, and Title IX.    

The Assistant General Counsel, Federal Litigation will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Manage active litigation caseload and serve as counsel on cases in which the Board and/or employees are named defendants
• Collaborate with Senior AGC, fellow AGC’s, and support staff on litigation strategy and overall case management
• Provide client counseling, advice, guidance and support across a network of schools and departments
• Review and edit written work product; and Analyze case value and make recommendations on case resolutions

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Assistant General Counsel, Federal Litigation must possess the following qualifications: 

Education Required:

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school, required.
• Must be licensed to practice law and in good standing in the State of Illinois.Admission to the U.S. District Court for Northern District of Illinois is preferred 

Experience Required:

• Minimum of one (1) year legal experience, inclusive of internships, externships and/or clerkships, two (2) years preferred Experience in employment law and/or civil rights law strongly preferred 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experience litigating employment related and civil rights claims in federal court;
• Strong communication skills (speaking - including presentations - listening, and writing);
• Ability to define and analyze problems quickly, prioritize the level of importance, create valid conclusions and action steps, and determine when higher level intervention is necessary;
• Capable of building trusting relationships and functioning effectively with Board agents, whose decisions are being challenged in court;
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage numerous cases simultaneously under pressure and with limited supervision;
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership of and solve problems, to expeditiously assess issues, and provide sound legal advice to a wide-variety of client-types, including senior leadership, school administrators and staff, and Central office employees.

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.