Labor Relations Attorney

Jobot; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful work

Best in class firm

Competitive compensation package

Complete benefits package

Flexible work schedules

Accelerated career growth

Fun company activities

Many more

Job summary

Jobot is seeking a Traditional Labor Attorney in Chicago with 3–5 years of management-side labor and employment experience. The role involves counseling employers on day-to-day issues, drafting statements, and supporting arbitration proceedings.

The firm offers meaningful work, accelerated career growth, a competitive compensation package, and a flexible/ hybrid work schedule. Illinois bar eligibility is required and salary ranges from $160,000 to $220,000 per year.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active Illinois bar license or eligibility for waiver.
• 3–5 years of management-side labor and employment experience.

Responsibilities

• Draft and respond to agency filings (NLRB, EEOC, IDHR, IL Dept of Labor).
• Counsel employers on employee-relations issues, discipline, investigations, policy development, and compliance.
• Advise on FMLA, ADA, accommodations, discrimination, harassment, wage-and-hour matters.
• Represent employers in union-related matters, including bargaining and arbitration.
• Assist with labor arbitration hearings, witness prep, and post-hearing submissions.
• Interpret collective bargaining agreements and advise on grievance administration and discipline.
• Participate in CB bargaining negotiations and labor-management meetings.
• Provide practical, business-focused solutions to reduce risk and improve operations.
• Maintain effective communication with sophisticated employer clients.

Skills

Legal research

Writing

Oral advocacy

Communication skills

Multitasking

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Illinois Bar admission (or waiver eligibility)

Job description

Traditional Labor Attorney - Room For Growth, Hybrid Work!

This Jobot Job is hosted by: Amber Wood

Salary: $160,000 - $220,000 per year

A bit about us:

Chicago-based law firm concentrates exclusively on the representation of employers in labor relations, employment litigation, employee benefits, and business immigration matters.

Named to 2024 Best Law Firms List for Employment, Labor, Litigation, and Immigration law!

Why join us?

• Meaningful Work!
• Best in Class Firm!
• Competitive Compensation Package!
• Complete Benefits Package!
• Flexible Work Schedules!
• Accelerated Career Growth!
• Fun Company Activities!
• Many More!

Job Details

A well-established Chicago management-side labor and employment law firm is seeking an associate attorney with 3–5 years of relevant experience to join its growing Labor Relations practice.

The ideal candidate will be prepared to step into active matters quickly, including drafting position statements, advising clients on day-to-day employment issues, and supporting or handling labor arbitration proceedings.

Responsibilities

• Draft and respond to position statements, charges, and related submissions before agencies including the NLRB, EEOC, IDHR, and Illinois Department of Labor.
• Counsel employers on employee-relations issues, including discipline, termination, workplace investigations, policy development, and compliance matters.
• Provide practical guidance regarding FMLA, ADA, accommodations, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage-and-hour, and other workplace-law issues.
• Represent and advise unionized employers in connection with collective bargaining agreements, grievances, labor-management disputes, and union relations.
• Assist with and, as experience permits, handle labor arbitration hearings, including case strategy, witness preparation, document and exhibit development, hearing briefs, and post-hearing submissions.
• Interpret and apply collective bargaining agreements and advise clients regarding grievance administration, discipline, discharge, seniority, work rules, and contract disputes.
• Participate in collective bargaining negotiations and labor-management meetings.
• Represent employers in unfair-labor-practice matters, including investigations and proceedings before the NLRB and related administrative agencies.
• Counsel employers on union-avoidance strategies, organizing campaigns, labor disputes, and proactive employee-relations practices.
• Assist clients in preventing, managing, and resolving labor disputes through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, administrative proceedings, and litigation.
• Work directly with clients to develop practical, business-focused solutions that reduce risk and support effective workplace operations.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in Illinois, or eligibility to waive into/admission to the Illinois Bar.
• 3–5 years of management-side labor and employment experience in a law firm, government, in-house legal department, labor-relations organization, or comparable setting.
• Demonstrated experience with employment counseling, employment litigation, administrative charges, or agency proceedings.
• Experience drafting EEOC, IDHR, NLRB, Illinois Department of Labor, or similar agency position statements is strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of federal and state employment laws, including the NLRA, Title VII, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, and applicable Illinois employment laws.
• Experience with collective bargaining, grievance administration, labor arbitrations, unfair-labor-practice matters, or union relations is strongly preferred.
• Prior labor-arbitration hearing experience - including witness preparation, briefing, exhibit preparation, or hearing participation
• Strong legal research, writing, analytical, advocacy, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple matters, communicate effectively with sophisticated employer clients, and work both independently and collaboratively.

Preferred Background

• Traditional labor experience representing unionized employers.
• NLRB proceedings, unfair-labor-practice charges, organizing campaigns, or union-avoidance counseling.
• EEOC, IDHR, or other administrative-agency defense experience.
• Labor-arbitration, grievance, CBA interpretation, or collective-bargaining experience.
• Practical counseling experience involving employee discipline, leaves of absence, accommodations, workplace policies, and compliance.

Why This Role

This position offers the opportunity to build a sophisticated management-side labor and employment practice with meaningful client interaction and responsibility. The successful attorney will work on a broad mix of traditional labor and employment matters, including collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, grievance administration, labor-management relations, administrative agency defense, employment counseling, and dispute prevention/resolution.

Equal Opportunity & Diversity Statement

Jobot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide an inclusive work environment that celebrates diversity and all qualified candidates receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (40 and over), disability, military status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Jobot also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. It is Jobot’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions.