Legal Counsel

State of Illinois•Chicago, IL

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic is seeking an experienced attorney who will provide guidance, direction, and assistance on a wide variety of legal matters. This attorney will be responsible for overseeing several key bureaus and providing guidance to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws. The ideal candidate will be self-starter and able to prioritize and manage multiple tight deadlines in a frequently high-paced environment. We invite qualified and motivated applicants to apply.

Requirements

Requires knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college, and graduation from a recognized law school.
Requires possession of a valid license to practice law in Illinois.
Requires three (3) years of professional experience in the practice of law.

Nice To Haves

Prefers three (3) years of professional experience in government, public sector, regulatory, administrative, contract, grants, or commercial law.
Prefers three (3) years of experience interpreting complex grant agreements, contract, intergovernmental agreements, memoranda of understanding, procurement documents and/or other legal documentation.
Prefers three (3) years of experience preparing legal memoranda, opinion letters, summaries, recommendations, reports, and other written legal analyses for executive-level decision-makers.
Prefers two (2) years of experience using legal research platforms, electronic records management systems, contract management systems, and/or document review tools.
Prefers advanced level proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, or similar software.
Prefers working knowledge of Illinois administrative law, rulemaking procedures, and state government operations.

Responsibilities

Serves as Legal Counsel for the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), providing legal advice, guidance and representation to Agency leadership and staff on a variety of legal matters.
Provides legal interpretations and guidance, often of a confidential and sensitive nature, to Agency leadership, managers, and staff, regarding federal and state laws, regulations, policies, and procedures affecting Agency programs and operations.
Conducts legal and factual research pertaining to grant monitoring outcomes, grant recovery efforts and litigation to support the Agency’s actions to enforce provisions of grant agreements and other legal requirements.
Assist the Director and other senior staff in the Department in drafting and interpreting administrative rules as well as complying with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
Drafts, reviews and prepares contracts, intergovernmental agreements, memoranda of understanding, grants, procurement documents, and other legal instruments on issues affecting the Agency.
Confers with attorneys, grants recipients, governmental officials, and agencies of the state and federal governments regarding statues, regulations, and written agreements relating to the Agency’s programs.
Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably with the scope of the duties enumerated above.