Assistant General Counsel-School Law

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the third-largest school district in the United States, serving over 360,000 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:

Primary 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, Charter schools, special education concerns, 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:

Education Required:

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

Experience Required: Minimum of three (3) years of legal practice, including direct experience counseling clients, is required. Litigation or administrative hearing experience is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong advocacy, analytical, oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work cooperatively and effectively in a team environment to resolve issues and make effective decisions.
• Organizational skills and ability to manage numerous projects simultaneously under pressure.
• Problem solver able to expeditiously assess issues and provide sound legal advice.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and recent writing sample.

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.
• Be Fully Vaccinated or Submit to Weekly COVID-19 Testing - Employees are required to be fully vaccinated within 30 days of their hire date. Full vaccination is defined as at least two weeks after your second shot of a two-shot vaccination course, or