Legal Counsel - Staff Attorney

State of Illinois • Chicago, IL

14h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Illinois Office of the Comptroller is seeking a Staff Attorney for its Legal Services Department. Subject to the administrative approval of the Chief Legal Counsel, the attorney performs highly responsible administrative and regulatory functions, manages special projects in research and operations, and provides legal advice and consultation to employees. Assignments may be sensitive or confidential. The Comptroller is Illinois’ chief fiscal control officer, responsible for maintaining the state’s central fiscal accounts and ordering payments, and the office processes more than 16 million transactions annually. The office also provides fiscal information to state policymakers and works to improve public service and transparency.

This is a salaried, full-time position based at the Comptroller’s headquarters in Chicago. The stated schedule is Monday through Friday, 7.5 hours per day and 37.5 hours per week. The anticipated hybrid schedule is three to five days per week in the office, depending on operational needs. A resume is required for the posting; a detailed resume or CV is encouraged for evaluating qualifications and skills.

Requirements

• Knowledge, skills, and mental development equivalent to completion of four years of college, a law degree, and a license to practice law in Illinois.
• At least three years of progressively responsible administrative experience in a public or private organization, or an acceptable equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Thorough knowledge of common law and state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to agency programs.
• Extensive knowledge of judicial, quasi-judicial, and administrative procedures; rules of evidence; and hearing and trial procedures at all judicial levels.
• Extensive knowledge of the relevant field of law, the legislative process, current employment laws, and the functions and interrelationships of federal and state government agencies.
• Working knowledge of administration and management principles, including organization, controls, and techniques for management and procedural problems.
• Ability to plan, lay out, coordinate, and review the work of a technical or legal program or unit as required.
• Ability to draft complex and technical legal documents.
• Ability to maintain satisfactory working relationships with superiors, attorneys, employees, and the general public.
• Ability to analyze, appraise, and organize facts, evidence, and precedents in difficult and complex cases, and present material clearly and logically in oral or written form, such as briefs, orders, reports, or decisions.
• Extensive knowledge of legal methods, practices, and procedures in the agency.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in appraising and evaluating procedural problems.

Nice To Haves

• Proven experience interpreting and applying Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) law and making legally supported determinations on record disclosure.

Responsibilities

• Assist Directors and Deputy Directors in formulating and implementing agency policy, rules, regulations, and general managerial practices.
• Manage special operations and research projects, including defining goals, securing necessary resources, and completing required tasks.
• Provide legal advice regarding outside litigation involving the Office and address miscellaneous legal issues as needed.
• Perform legal, fiscal, or business-related research for the Comptroller.
• Draft, edit, and compile materials for reports and supervise production of reports for internal and external distribution.
• Assist in designing and conducting training sessions on current laws affecting Comptroller employees.
• Counsel agency officials on administrative policies and procedures.
• Perform other related duties as required or assigned that are reasonably within the scope of the position.

Benefits

• State of Illinois Group Insurance program with health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage options.
• 12 paid sick days accrued annually.
• At least 12 paid vacation days annually.
• 4 paid personal days.
• 14 paid state holidays, prorated based on start date.
• Retirement packages are mentioned as a general benefit of State of Illinois employment.

What This Job Offers

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