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Assistant General Counsel

Employer
Chicago Public Schools - CPS
Location
Chicago, IL, US
Salary
Competitive

View more

Job Category
Administrator, Legal

Job Details

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.

Job Summary:

The Assistant General Counsel will assist in administering and implementing collective bargaining agreements, conducting collective bargaining, advising principals and department leaders on matters related to collective bargaining agreements and labor relations, including discipline matters, drafting collective bargaining and grievance settlement agreements and generally representing CPS in engagement with its labor partners. This role requires heavy client contact, working with a wide range of stakeholders, and the ability to gather and collate data from a variety of sources into a coherent message.

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

Typical Duties/Responsibilities:

  • Engaging with district principals and union representatives on labor issues, including advising CPS managers on best practices, contractual obligations, and creative problem-solving.
  • Meeting regularly with labor representatives to address contractual issues in order to avoid unnecessary grievances.
  • Representing CPS in contract negotiations, other collective bargaining sessions, and impact bargaining discussions with labor unions representing CPS' 40,000 plus unionized employees.
  • Drafting responses to requests for information, grievance settlement agreements, and policy materials.


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

Type of Education Required :

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
  • Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
  • Must be licensed to practice law and in good standing in the State of Illinois; federal bar and federal trial bar membership a plus


Type of Experience Required :

  • A minimum of four (4) years of related legal experience (as an attorney at a law firm, agency, and/or as in-house counsel); labor and employment law 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
  • Familiarity with labor arbitration
  • Ability to work independently without close supervision
  • Knowledge of best practices in labor relations, federal and state labor and employment laws, and related federal and state laws
  • 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


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.

Company

Chicago Public Schools is truly a district on the rise. The last five years have been an unprecedented success for CPS, and during that time, our district has emerged as a beacon of what is achievable for large urban school districts across the country. Our mission is to provide a high-quality public education for every child, in every neighborhood, that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life.

Company info
Telephone
773-553-1000
Location
42 W Madison St
Chicago
IL
60602
US

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