Deputy 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.

The Deputy General Counsel will lead the Transactions Unit within the CPS Law Department. This position requires an experienced, dynamic, and motivated individual who demonstrates a proven ability to develop working relationships, create processes and systems of improvement and efficiency, and engender the trust of our internal clients. The Deputy General Counsel will work under the direct supervision of the General Counsel and First Deputy General Counsel.

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

• Manage a team of attorneys, paralegals, and support personnel responsible for negotiating and drafting all of CPS' contracts;
• Develop attorneys and staff to be solution orientated, client-focused and able to serve the operations of the District;
• Ensure compliance with all applicable laws, Board Rules, and Board Policies;
• Work closely with the Procurement Department and other CPS departments to prepare and review solicitations ( e.g. , Bids, Requests for Proposal, and Requests for Qualification, etc.);
• Develop efficient processes for tracking, preparing, negotiating, drafting, reviewing, approving, and executing contracts;
• Works towards the continuous improvement of the Law Department and actively participate in strategic planning and execution of Department goals;
• Manage outside counsel responsible for directly representing CPS in transaction matters and those firms working on CPS' municipal finance transactions;
• Take a lead role on CPS' most complex and critical agreements by counseling, negotiating, and drafting solicitations and contracts; and
• Perform additional responsibilities as assigned.

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

Type of Education and License Required:

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

Type of Experience Required:

• Minimum of 8 years of legal practice and related transactional work is required.
• Minimum of 2 years of leadership experience, such as a position involving the supervision or management of attorneys of differing abilities, is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experience managing and developing attorneys and support staff;
• Exceptional advocacy, analytical, oral and written communication skills;
• Strong negotiation skills, including the ability to persuade, plan, strategize and cooperate with operational goals in mind ;
• Ability to quickly analyze risk, prioritize concerns and accurately decide when to escalate;
• Ability to build effective relationships throughout the Law Department, other Board departments, and with vendors/partners;
• Sound organizational skills with the ability to build efficient processes;
• Ability to manage numerous projects simultaneously under pressure; and
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership of and solve problems, to expeditiously assess issues and provide sound legal advice.

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.