Assistant Corporation Counsel III - Special Federal Litigation Division

City of Chicago Department of Law; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 88,000 - 154,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

The City of Chicago Department of Law seeks an Assistant Corporation Counsel III for the Special Federal Litigation Division. The ACC handles civil rights and state-law matters with emphasis on motions, discovery, and trial work.

Join a dedicated public-service team, under the division leaders. Illinois Bar admission and good standing with ARDC are required, with strong organizational and collaborative skills essential.

Qualifications

• Litigation experience including pleadings, motions, depositions, and trials.
• Strong writing, research, and editing abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Defend civil rights and state-law claims in federal and state courts.
• Manage motion practice, discovery, and trial preparation.
• Counsel and advise clients; coordinate with team on complex matters.

Skills

Litigation experience

Writing

Research

Editing

Communication

Counseling clients

Organizational skills

Teamwork

Initiative

Workflow management

Public service

Illinois Bar admission

ARDC good standing

Job description

The City of Chicago’s Law Department is seeking an attorney for the position of Assistant Corporation Counsel III (ACC) in the Special Federal Litigation (SFL) Division. The Division defends alleged civil rights violations or state law liability claims based on allegations of police misconduct or abuse of authority in both federal and state courts. The Division defends sworn and civilian police personnel against allegations such as false arrest and excessive force, among other things, and also defends the City of Chicago in cases involving Monell policy claims. ACCs must have sophisticated and complex litigation skills involving extensive motion practice, client counseling, intensive fact and expert discovery, and trial practice in lower exposure cases. They work under the supervision of the Supervisors, Chief, and Deputy of SFL. They will be joining a hardworking, sharp team of litigators dedicated to public service to the City of Chicago.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Ideal candidates will possess:

• Litigation experience in one or more of the following areas: drafting pleadings and other court documents, drafting substantive motions, arguing substantive motions, taking or defending depositions, handling evidentiary hearings, assisting in jury or bench trials, or clerking for a state or federal court judge;
• Superior writing, research, and editing skills;
• Superior communication skills (written/verbal);
• Experience counseling and advising clients;
• Exceptional organizational skills;
• The ability to work well with others;
• The ability to exhibit initiative on assigned tasks;
• The ability to organize, prioritize, monitor, and control workflow deadlines; and
• Commitment to public service.
• 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
  

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

Mandatory Submission Terms

Note: The following sections have been removed in this refined version to focus on position content and reduce application instructions. For full details please refer to the official posting.

Salary: $88,272.00 - 154,044.00 (salary is based on a variety of factors including experience and credentials)

Click to view our generous benefits package

For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at:
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html

For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at:
https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/dhr/supp_info/JobClassification/2025_Classification_and_Pay_Plan.pdf

NOTE REGARDING PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGENESS: 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.

NOTE: Application technical issues may be solved through the use of Google Chrome as a browser.

NOTE: If you have questions, please contact the Department of Human Resources (312-744-4976) or [e-mail].

Selection Requirements

This position requires applicants to complete an interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position will be selected.

Evaluation

Your initial evaluation will be based on the documents submitted. Applications must be submitted by the individual applicant. No second party applications will be accepted.

Education & Employment Verification: Please be advised that if you are selected to be hired, you must provide, upon request adequate information regarding your educational and employment history as it relates to the qualifications of the position for which you are applying. If the City of Chicago cannot verify this information, any offer extended to you will be withdrawn and you will not be hired.

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.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment, the City will conduct a background check. The resulting report will be used to conduct an individualized assessment to determine if the nature of any prior conviction conflicts with the specific duties and responsibilities of the job for which you have been selected. If a conflict exists, you will be asked to present any evidence of rehabilitation that may mitigate the conflict, except when federal or state regulations bar employment in specific circumstances.

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.

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ANY AND ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

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.

The City of Chicago