Legal Counsel - Staff Attorney

State of Illinois • Chicago, IL

1d • $110,000 - $140,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Illinois Office of the Comptroller is hiring a Legal Counsel - Staff Attorney for its Legal Services Department. Subject to administrative approval by the Chief Legal Counsel, the Staff Attorney performs highly responsible administrative and regulatory functions, manages special projects in research and operations, provides legal advice and consultation to employees, and handles assignments that may be sensitive or confidential. The role supports an agency responsible for maintaining the State of Illinois’s central fiscal accounts, ordering payments, and ensuring state payments comply with the law.

The position is based at the agency’s Chicago headquarters. The anticipated hybrid schedule is three to five days per week in the office, depending on operational needs. The position is salaried and full-time, with work hours of Monday through Friday, 7.5 hours per day and 37.5 hours per week.

Requirements

• Education and mental development equivalent to completion of four years of college and a law degree.
• License to practice law in the State of Illinois.
• Three years of progressively responsible administrative experience in a public or private organization; an equivalent combination of training and experience may be acceptable.
• 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, including rules of evidence, hearings, and trial procedures at all judicial levels.
• Extensive knowledge in the field of law primarily concerned.
• Extensive knowledge of the legislative process and current employment laws.
• Extensive knowledge of the function and interrelationship of Federal and State government agencies.
• Working knowledge of administration and management principles, including organization, controls, and techniques for addressing management and procedural problems.
• Ability to plan, lay out, coordinate, and review work for 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, other attorneys, employees, and the general public.
• Ability to analyze, appraise, and organize facts, evidence, and precedents in difficult and complex cases and present them clearly and logically in oral or written materials such as briefs, orders, reports, or decisions.
• Extensive knowledge of legal methods, practices, and procedures in the agency.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment when 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 projects in operations and research, including defining goals, securing necessary resources, and completing required tasks.
• Provide legal advice regarding outside litigation for the Office and address miscellaneous legal issues as needed.
• Perform legal, fiscal, or business-related research.
• 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 within the scope of the position.

Benefits

• State of Illinois Group Insurance program with health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage options.
• Annually accrued 12 paid sick days.
• A minimum of 12 paid vacation days.
• Four paid personal days.
• Fourteen paid state holidays, prorated based on start date.
• Retirement packages.

What This Job Offers

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