Mid-Level Labor and Employment Associate

Verital Advisory Search; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid flexibility

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Verital Advisory Search is facilitating opportunities with Chicago law firms seeking Labor & Employment Associates. Positions focus on management-side work, with a blend of employment litigation and counseling for employers across various industries.

Ideal candidates have 3–6 years of Labor & Employment experience, with a mix of counseling and litigation duties, and must be ready to handle diverse matters with strong client interaction.

Qualifications

• Approximately 3 to 6 years of Labor & Employment experience
• Management-side experience preferred
• Experience in employment litigation and/or counseling
• Strong legal research and writing skills
• Experience drafting substantive motions and other litigation documents
• Ability to communicate directly with clients and provide practical employment advice
• Illinois Bar admission or eligibility

Responsibilities

• Defend employers in state and federal court
• Handle matters before the EEOC, DOL, NLRB, and state or local agencies
• Draft pleadings, motions, briefs, and position statements
• Manage written discovery and document production
• Take and defend depositions
• Interview witnesses and assist with workplace investigations
• Participate in mediations, arbitrations, and settlement negotiations
• Assist with or take responsibility for trial preparation
• Manage matters with increasing independence and direct client contact
• Advise employers on hiring and termination decisions
• Advise on wage and hour compliance and leave issues
• Advise on workplace policies and handbooks
• Advise on restrictive covenants and employee mobility

Skills

Employment counseling & compliance

Discrimination & harassment claims

Wrongful termination matters

Wage & hour disputes

Class & collective actions

Restrictive covenants & trade secrets

EEOC & agency coordination

Workplace investigations

Employee discipline & terminations

Leaves of absence & accommodations

Employment policies & handbooks

Communication with clients

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Illinois Bar admission or eligibility

Job description

We are working with several law firms in Chicago that are looking to add Labor & Employment Associates to their practices.

These opportunities are primarily management-side and offer a mix of employment litigation and day-to-day counseling work for employers across a range of industries.

Experience

Ideally 3 to 6 years of Labor & Employment experience, although there may be flexibility depending on the candidate's background.

Candidates should have experience in some combination of:

• Employment counseling and compliance
• Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims
• Wrongful termination matters
• Wage and hour disputes
• Class and collective actions
• Restrictive covenants and trade secret matters
• EEOC and other administrative agency charges
• Workplace investigations
• Employee discipline and terminations
• Leaves of absence and accommodations
• Employment policies and handbooks
• Employment agreements and separation agreements

Experience with traditional labor matters, including collective bargaining, grievances, union issues, and unfair labor practice proceedings, is a plus but is not required for every opportunity.

Litigation Responsibilities

Depending on the firm and seniority level, associates may:

• Defend employers in state and federal court
• Handle matters before the EEOC, DOL, NLRB, and state or local agencies
• Draft pleadings, motions, briefs, and position statements
• Manage written discovery and document production
• Take and defend depositions
• Interview witnesses and assist with workplace investigations
• Participate in mediations, arbitrations, and settlement negotiations
• Assist with or take responsibility for trial preparation
• Manage matters with increasing independence and direct client contact

Counseling Responsibilities

Associates may also advise employers on:

• Hiring and termination decisions
• Employee discipline and performance issues
• Disability accommodations and the interactive process
• FMLA and other leave issues
• Wage and hour compliance
• Workplace policies and employee handbooks
• Harassment and discrimination complaints
• Internal workplace investigations
• Reductions in force and workforce restructuring
• Restrictive covenants and employee mobility
• Employment and separation agreements
• Compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws

Qualifications

• Approximately 3 to 6 years of Labor & Employment experience
• Management-side experience preferred
• Employment litigation and/or counseling experience
• Strong legal research and writing skills
• Experience drafting substantive motions and other litigation documents
• Ability to communicate directly with clients and provide practical employment advice
• Strong case and matter management skills
• J.D. from an accredited law school
• Illinois Bar admission or ability to become admitted

The Opportunities

The firms we are working with offer different combinations of:

• Employment litigation and counseling work
• Greater responsibility over matters
• Wage and hour and class action experience
• Workplace investigations
• Traditional labor exposure
• Partnership-track opportunities
• Competitive compensation
• Hybrid flexibility
• Different billable-hour expectations and firm cultures

Because we are working across several Labor & Employment practices in Chicago, we can discuss which opportunities best align with your litigation experience, counseling background, compensation expectations, billable-hour preferences, and long-term career goals.