Assistant Deputy General Counsel, Federal Litigation

Chicago Public Schools • Chicago, IL

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About The Position

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 325,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 45,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.
The Litigation Unit of the Board of Education’s Law Department represents the Board, and its employees, in civil suits filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County and in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The Litigation Unit also handles administrative matters and provides client counseling.

Job Summary:
Under the direct supervision of the Deputy General Counsel, the Assistant Deputy General Counsel represents the Board and its agents primarily in the Northern District of Illinois and in various administrative forums, including EEOC, IDHR, and HRC. The federal litigation unit handles a wide variety of legal topics, such as employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, civil rights, constitutional issues, Title IX, and special education matters. The ADGC primarily handles high-profile or high-exposure cases directly, while supervising a team of lawyers and staff in all other matters. The ADGC is responsible for overseeing the federal litigation unit’s casework and coordinating with the Deputy General Counsel to set best practices, procedures, and strategies for the unit. This role promotes Office excellence and unit cohesion by fostering a high-performance culture rooted in professional development, mutual respect, and inclusive leadership. This is a full-time, non-exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

Requirements

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
• Licensed to practice law and in good standing in the State of Illinois
• Minimum of seven (7) years of litigation experience
• Minimum of three (3) years of supervising lawyers and support staff
• Experience litigating cases in the Northern District of Illinois, or a comparable federal setting
• Experience counseling clients in litigation strategy, settlements, and defenses
• Experience with settlement and/or other forms of dispute resolution
• Admission to the trial bar of the Northern District of Illinois
• Experience in employment litigation involving federal anti-discrimination statutes, as well as constitutional claims
• Articulate and persuasive communication skills, including written and oral advocacy
• Demonstrated ability to manage a large caseload
• Experience with trials, preferably leading a trial team as first chair
• Experience leading the negotiation of high-stakes federal litigation matters—including Title VII, Title IX, and Section 1983 claims—by developing and executing comprehensive settlement strategies that balance legal risk, financial exposure, and the District's mission.
• Deep familiarity with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence
• Ability to manage staff of differing abilities
• Ability to quickly analyze a problem/question and decide the level of importance and when higher level intervention is needed
• Ability to function effectively with opposing counsel, co-counsel, and any Board agents whose decisions are being challenged in court
• Ability to navigate complex, multi-layered legal disputes to reach resolutions that protect the District’s financial assets, operational integrity, and public trust
• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.

Responsibilities

• Supervises, develops, and manages the the performance of a team of federal litigation attorneys and support staff, including reviewing and editing work product, assigning cases, providing direction and litigation strategy, and setting expectations
• Represents the Board and its employees in high-profile cases and serves a first chair for trials
• Establishes and enforces protocols and best practices for the federal litigation unit
• Provides legal advice to other law department units, central office and network staff, principals, and school-based employees related to litigation exposure, legal compliance, risk management, communications, policies and practices, and employment or constitutional issues
• Recruits and oversees the work of outside counsel
• Works with the district’s risk management office and third-party administrator to set reserves and value cases
• Attends settlement conferences
• Other duties as assigned

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree