Assistant Corporation Counsel I - Collections, Ownership and Administrative Litigation

City of Chicago Department of Law; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 134,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Chicago Department of Law seeks an Assistant Corporation Counsel I for the Collections, Ownership and Administrative Litigation (COAL) Division to enforce fines, collect amounts owed, and represent the City in related matters.

The ACC I will assist in counseling various client departments under supervision, work on property deeds, mortgages, liens, foreclosures and bankruptcy matters, and demonstrate strong writing and analytical abilities.

Qualifications

• Excellent analytical and writing skills; strong research abilities.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and meet deadlines under pressure.
• Experience counseling clients and communicating with diverse departments.

Responsibilities

• Counsel City Departments and assist in enforcement of municipal laws.
• Support in collecting fines, fees, and other amounts owed to the City.
• Assist with foreclosure, liens, and bankruptcy matters for COAL.

Skills

Analytical skills

Workflow management

Communication

Leadership

Writing & editing

Client counseling

Education

Juris Doctor degree

Job description

Assistant Corporation Counsel I - Collections, Ownership and Administrative Litigation (421271)

The City of Chicago Law Department is seeking an attorney for the position of Assistant Corporation Counsel (ACC I) in the Collections, Ownership and Administrative Litigation (COAL) Division.

COAL is responsible for enforcing a significant number of municipal laws and holding individuals and entities that violate those laws accountable. Its primary mandates are to (1) enforce fines, fees, and penalties, and to collect other amounts owed to the City; and (2) determine the owners and other parties responsible for municipal law violations. COAL is also responsible for representing the City and its departments in foreclosure and lien proceedings, bankruptcy matters (including appeals to the district court), tax deed petitions, debt due and owing and ownership disputes at the City’s Department of Administrative Hearings, and in a host of other matters. The ACC I will work under the general supervision of the Deputy, Chief, and Supervising Attorney of the Division and assist in the counseling of various Client Departments.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent analytical skills;
• The ability to organize, prioritize, monitor, and control workflow deadlines;
• The ability to work and communicate well with others;
• Experience working with short deadlines;
• The ability to exhibit leadership and initiative on assigned tasks;
• Superior writing, research and editing skills;
• Experience providing client counseling.

Preference may be given to candidates possessing the following:

• Experience in determining real property ownership;
• Experience in reviewing and analyzing property deeds, mortgages, liens and foreclosures;
• Experience in project management;
• Experience in collections matters;
• Experience in bankruptcy cases.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an American Bar Association accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree
• Admission to the Illinois Bar (or eligible for admission on motion to the Illinois Bar pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 705), good standing with your state Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission
• Or, if applicable, intent to take the bar exam to obtain required Illinois Licensure indicated in cover letter.

Disclaimer - Accredited means any American law school that has passed and maintains the requirements of accreditation by the American Bar Association ( www.americanbar.org ).

Salary: $80,448 - 134,028 (salary is based on a variety of factors including experience and credentials)

For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at:

For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at:

NOTE REGARDING PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS: Working for the City of Chicago Department of Law may qualify you for loan forgiveness under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program . For detailed information, visit www.StudentAid.gov/publicservice or contact your federal loan servicer.

Fair Chance Hiring Employer: The City of Chicago is committed to being a Fair Chance Hiring employer. We value applicants with diverse experiences, including those who have had prior contact with the criminal legal system. Having a criminal history, including prior incarceration, arrest(s), and/or conviction(s) does not automatically disqualify you from employment with the City of Chicago.

Residency Requirement: All employees of the City of Chicago must be actual residents of the City of Chicago as outlined in 2-152-050 of the City of Chicago Municipal Code. Proof of residency will be required.

Reasonable Accommodation: If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation due to disability or pregnancy in order to participate in the application process, please contact the City of Chicago, Department of Human Resources, at 312-744-4976 or [e-mail]. Please be prepared to provide information in support of your reasonable accommodation request.

THIS POSITION IS EXEMPT FROM THE CAREER SERVICE.

The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Military Friendly Employer. To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075.

City of Chicago

Job Posting

Oct 22, 2026, 7:10:19 PM | Closing Date (Period for Applying) - External : Nov 5, 2026, 5:59:00 AM