Assistant General Counsel

Austin Community College; Illinois; On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in Illinois is seeking an Assistant General Counsel to provide legal advice and ensure compliance in the procurement process. The ideal candidate should possess a Juris Doctorate, be licensed to practice law in Illinois, and have at least two years of relevant legal experience. Responsibilities include researching legal issues, drafting contracts, and assisting with Freedom of Information Act requests. This role offers the chance to make a meaningful impact in government operations.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of legal experience in a law firm, government, or corporate setting.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience conducting legal research and analysis.

Responsibilities

• Research legal issues and provide analysis for the General Counsel.
• Draft contracts and legal memoranda for the CPO-GS.
• Assist with FOIA requests and review protest determinations.
• Provide litigation support and coordination with the Attorney General's office.

Skills

Detail-oriented

Critical thinking

Excellent writing

Problem-solving

Collaboration

Legal research

Education

Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school

Licensed to practice law in Illinois

Job description

The Chief Procurement Officer for General Services (CPO-GS) seeks a detail-oriented, critical-thinking, organized, excellent writer, and problem-solver to provide legal advice and counsel to the Independent Chief Procurement Officer and her staff. As Assistant General Counsel, you will be part of a small, dedicated staff that assist in ensuring agencies under the CPO-GS jurisdiction lawfully and ethically procure products and services. This is an excellent opportunity to make a difference in the State procurement process while helping to ensure compliance and efficiency in government purchasing.

The CPO-GS ensures that more than $7 billion in procurements under its jurisdiction are fair, transparent, accountable, and in the best interest of the State. The CPO-GS is under the umbrella of the Executive Ethics Commission (EEC), a nine-member commission that promotes transparency, fairness, and integrity by facilitating compliance and enforcement of the State Officials and Employee Ethics Act. The EEC appoints the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO), subject to Senate confirmation, and provides staff and other support in furtherance of the independent procurement role of the CPO. The staff members of the CPO-GS are dedicated public servants focused on providing exceptional service and valuable results to the agencies and people we serve.

Responsibilities

• Research legal issues and provide legal analysis, advice, and counsel to the General Counsel for CPO-GS on legal matters relevant to the Illinois Procurement Code, the CPO-GS’ administrative rules, additional procurement-related statutes, regulations, policies, procedures, and bills, the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and other laws and regulations; review and draft contracts for the CPO-GS, and other issues pertaining to the functioning of the CPO-GS; and draft legal memoranda and briefs.
• Review protests; draft recommended protest determinations for protests for the CPO’s consideration; and communicate with protestors, agencies, and interested parties. May be appointed as a Protest Review Officer as appropriate and necessary.
• Assist the CPO-GS Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer; review FOIA requests received by CPO-GS, gather records, and prepare draft responses.
• Conduct hearings on behalf of, or at the direction of, the CPO-GS and prepare recommended decisions.
• Provide litigation support and coordination with the Office of the Illinois Attorney General.
• Help coordinate litigation-related activities for general matters involving CPOs and their respective staffs.
• Perform other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Required Education and Experience

• Possess a Juris Doctorate from an American Bar Association accredited law school
• Licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois
• 2+ years of legal experience in a single or combination of the following settings: law firm, government, higher education, corporate, or other complex organization
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with internal and external constituencies
Experience conducting legal research and analysis

Preferred Education and Experience

• Experience with government procurement, conflict of interest and other ethics‑related laws, and other areas of administrative law
• Experience in reviewing, drafting, and filing administrative rules
• Experience in reviewing, analyzing, and responding to FOIA requests
• Experience in reviewing and drafting contracts
• Working knowledge of the functions of state government and the character of relationships between the branches of State government, among State agencies and officers, and between the State and other levels of government
• Demonstrated interest in, enthusiasm for, and commitment to public service