Assistant General Counsel

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the third-largest school district in the United States, serving over 340,000 students in 600+ schools and employing nearly 36,000 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.

CPS is seeking an Assistant General Counsel who will work in the School Law Unit of the Law Department. This Assistant General Counsel will be responsible for advising school-based administrators on school law matters. Specifically, the Assistant General Counsel will have the following responsibilities: 

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

Typical Duties/Responsibilities:

• Advise Board of Education and school-based staff on Board rules, policies, and statutes related to school law, including, but not limited to: enrollment and transfer, student privacy, student discipline, special education concerns, Charter school-related matters, custody issues, and school climate matters.
• Prepare and conduct due process hearings for school restructuring, enrollment fraud, and local school council eligibility.
• Conduct training for school administrators on school law-related topics.
• Assist the Deputy General Counsel – School Law with special projects related to cross-functional work and new initiatives. 

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

Type of Education Required: 

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree
• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
• Must be licensed to practice law and in good standing in the State of Illinois

Type of Experience Required: 

• A minimum of four (4) years of legal practice
• Direct experience counseling clients
• Litigation or administrative hearing experience preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Excellent communication and engagement skills (writing, client communications, speaking, listening)
• Excellent problem-solving skills; Demonstrated ability to take ownership of and solve problems, quickly assess issues, and provide sound legal advice to a wide variety of stakeholders, including senior leadership, school administrators, and central office departments
• Experience advising clients on alternative dispute resolution
• Ability to work independently without close supervision
• Strong interpersonal skills that will help build trusting internal and external stakeholder relationships
• Strong client counseling background in a deadline-driven, high-volume environment; Ability to provide sound legal advice in a short response time and work on multiple tasks simultaneously
• Self-starter who takes initiative to advance and close projects and is able to work independently and resolve matters efficiently
• Exceptional judgment, integrity, honesty, credibility, and the courage to make difficult yet necessary decisions
• Highly organized with excellent time management and organizational skills 
• Deadline-driven, strategic thinker; Detail-oriented and results-driven
• Demonstrated success working in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment 
• Proficiency with Google Suite (docs, sheets, slides) and Microsoft Office

Please submit a cover letter, resume, recent writing sample, and three references no later than May 26, 2021.

Residency Requirement:

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and must maintain residency throughout their employment with the district.