Supervisory Regional Counsel

State of Illinois•Springfield, MO

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is hiring a Supervisory Regional Counsel to represent the Department at hearings in juvenile courts in assigned counties, including temporary custody, adjudication, disposition, permanency, status, progress, termination of parental rights, and motion hearings. Under administrative direction, the position also provides technical advice and counsel to Agency personnel conducting administrative fair hearings and represents the Department in the fair-hearing process. The role supervises a subordinate attorney or paralegal, serves as legal advisor to regional field staff, and conducts technical legal screening and case consultations to help prepare termination-of-parental-rights cases and assess trial readiness. The position also serves as a liaison to the judiciary, State’s Attorney offices, and court personnel in the region, and maintains current knowledge of legislation, Department rules and policies, and relevant law. The position is based in Springfield, Illinois. It requires travel in the performance of duties and a valid driver’s license. The posted schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The position requires passing a background check and filing required Statements of Economic Interest. The anticipated starting salary is $9,488–$10,900 per month.

Requirements

Possession of a valid license to practice law in Illinois.
Three years of administrative experience in the practice of law.
Ability to pass a background check.
Ability to travel in the performance of duties.
Appropriate, valid driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

Experience as an attorney in cases involving child welfare or juvenile law.
Experience presenting and arguing legal cases in court and/or administrative hearings.
Experience conducting legal analysis as an attorney.
Substantive legal writing experience as an attorney, including motions, pleadings, briefs, and memoranda.
Professional experience working in a liaison capacity with various internal and external entities.
Thorough knowledge of Illinois statutes and rules that substantially affect Illinois juvenile court proceedings and/or DCFS administrative hearings.

Responsibilities

Represent the Department at hearings on calendars in juvenile courts in assigned counties, including temporary custody, adjudication, disposition, permanency, status, progress, termination of parental rights, and motion hearings.
Provide technical advice and counsel to Agency personnel conducting all levels of administrative fair hearings.
Represent the Department in the administrative fair-hearing process.
Serve as a full-line supervisor.
Serve as legal advisor to regional field staff.
Plan, direct, and conduct technical legal screening and provide case consultation to caseworkers and supervisors to prepare termination-of-parental-rights cases and determine when cases are trial ready.
Serve as agency liaison to the judiciary, State’s Attorney offices, and court personnel in each county in the region.
Maintain current working knowledge of new legislation, Department rules and policy, and relevant law.
Perform other duties as required or assigned that are reasonably within the scope of the position.

Benefits

Pension program.
Competitive group insurance benefits, including health, life, dental, and vision insurance.
Three paid personal business days annually.
Twelve paid sick days annually, with unused sick days carrying over from year to year.
Ten to twenty-five days of paid vacation annually, with ten days in the first year of employment.
Thirteen paid holidays annually, and fourteen in even-numbered years.
Flexible work schedules when available, depending on the position.
Twelve weeks of paid parental leave.
Deferred Compensation Program supplemental retirement plan.
Optional pre-tax Medical Care Assistance Plan and Dependent Care Assistance Plan.
Eligibility for the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
Eligibility for GI Bill training and apprenticeship benefits for qualifying veterans.
Five percent salary differential for bilingual positions.
Commuter Savings Program (Chicago only).