Assistant Deputy General Counsel, Federal Litigation

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 600+ schools and employing over 40,000 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 the direct supervision of the Deputy General Counsel, the Assistant Deputy General Counsel represents the Board and its agents primarily in the Northern District of Illinois and in various administrative forums, including EEOC, IDHR, and HRC. The Federal Litigation unit handles a wide variety of legal topics, such as employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, civil rights, constitutional issues, Title IX, and special education matters. The ADGC primarily handles high-profile or high-exposure cases directly, while supervising a team of lawyers and staff in all other matters. The ADGC is responsible for overseeing the Federal Litigation unit's casework and coordinating with the Deputy General Counsel to set best practices, procedures, and strategies for the unit.
The Assistant Deputy General Counselwill be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Manages the work of attorneys and support staff on the Federal Litigation team, including reviewing and editing work product, assigning cases, providing direction and litigation strategy, setting expectations, training and mentoring, and reviewing performance;
• Represents the Board and its employees in high-profile cases and serves a first chair for trials;
• Establishes and enforces protocols and best practices for the Federal Litigation unit;
• Provides legal advice to other law department units, central office and network staff, principals, and school-based employees related to litigation exposure, legal compliance, risk management, communications, policies and practices, and employment or constitutional issues;
• Recruits and oversees the work of outside counsel;
• Works with the district's risk management office and third-party administrator to set reserves and value cases;
• Attends settlement conferences;
• Other ad hoc duties as assigned.

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

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree
• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
• Licensed to practice law and in good standing in the state of Illinois

Experience Required:

• Minimum of seven (7) years of litigation experience
• Minimum of two (2) years of supervising lawyers and/or support staff
• Experience litigating cases in the Northern District of Illinois, or a comparable federal setting
• Admission to the trial bar of the Northern District of Illinois, or another jurisdiction with comparable criteria for entry

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Articulate and persuasive communication skills, including written and oral advocacy;
• Demonstrated ability to manage a large caseload;
• Experience with trials, preferably leading a trial team as first chair;
• Negotiating skills and experience with settlement or other forms of dispute resolution;
• Deep familiarity with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence;
• Background and experience in employment litigation involving federal anti-discrimination statutes, as well as constitutional claims, is strongly preferred;
• Prior supervisory experience and a demonstrated ability to manage personnel of differing abilities;
• Direct experience counseling clients in litigation strategy, settlements, and defenses;
• Ability to quickly analyze a problem/question and decide the level of importance and when higher level intervention is needed;
• Function effectively with opposing counsel, co-counsel, and any Board agents whose decisions are being challenged in court.

In order to be considered for this position, please submit a cover letter, resume, and three references.
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.
• Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. "Up-to-date" on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.