Assistant General Counsel - Labor and Employee Discipline

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.

The CPS Law Department is made up of approximately 50 attorneys across various Units, including the Transactions Unit, the Litigation Unit, the School Law Unit, and the Labor and Employee Discipline Unit. This Assistant General Counsel position will work in the Labor and Employee Discipline Unit of the Law Department and will report to the Deputy General Counsel of their Unit.

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

• Responsible for handling grievance arbitrations, unfair labor practice charges, employee discipline administrative hearings, and other labor relations matters.
• Working closely with CPS clients to ensure that labor and employee discipline cases are properly handled and litigated.
• Review the legality of employee relations strategies and policies utilizing a keen knowledge of federal and state statutory and case law in employment and labor areas, as well as all areas that may impact the District.
• Defend the Board in labor arbitrations against various labor unions
• Defend the Board in unfair labor practice proceedings in front of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, and represent the Board in termination proceedings in front of the Illinois State Board of Education and the CPS Office of Employee Engagement.
• Daily advise various internal CPS clients and school principals on labor and employee relations cases.

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

Type of Education Required :

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
• Licensed to practice law and in good standing in the State of Illinois

Type of Experience and Number of Years :

• Minimum of 2 years of labor, labor relations, employment, and/or administrative law required; 5-10 years of experience, preferred.
• Experience litigating cases, whether in courts or an administrative setting required
• Experience drafting substantive motions and briefs required
• Experience with oral and written client counseling and interviewing various types of witnesses required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :

• Ability to solve problems and work independently.
• Effectively litigate cases before arbitrators, hearing officers, administrative agencies, and courts.
• Knowledge of best practices in employment and labor law, administrative law, and federal- and state-related law areas.
• Ability to build trusting relationships and function effectively with officers, senior leaders, department managers, and school-based staff.
• Ability to work in teams and independently, make effective decisions, and collaborate with clients.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating and informally resolving complex cases.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership of and solve problems, assess issues, and provide sound legal advice.
• Organizational skills and ability to manage many matters simultaneously.

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.