Assistant Corporation Counsel III - Collections, Ownership, and Administrative Litigation Division -

at City of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, United States

Job Description

Description:

Assistant Corporation Counsel III, Collections, Ownership, and Administrative Litigation Division – Special Collections Unit (SCU).

The City of Chicago Law Department is seeking two attorneys for the position of Assistant Corporation Counsel III (“ACC”) in the Collections, Ownership, and Administrative Litigation (COAL) Division to be founding members of the Special Collections Unit (SCU). COAL is responsible for collecting debts due and owing to the City; acquiring properties through lien foreclosures; litigating property ownership issues regarding properties cited with health and safety violations of the Municipal Code; and bankruptcy matters involving the City.

The ACCs within the SCU will draft and prosecute complaints, engage in significant discovery and motion practice, conduct hearings and trials, make case recommendations, and participate in settlement negotiations. They will be responsible for their own cases representing the City in circuit court, federal court and the City’s Department of Administrative Hearings. They will also help develop and implement procedures and protocols, conduct law clerk training, and work on a variety of special projects. The ACCs will work under the general supervision of the Deputy, Chief, and Supervising ACC of the Collections Unit within the COAL division and assist in the counseling of various client departments.

Qualifications:

Graduation from an American Bar Association accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree and admission to the Illinois Bar (or eligible for admission on motion to the Illinois Bar pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 705).

Disclaimer – “Accredited” means any American law school that has passed and maintains the requirements of accreditation by the American Bar Association (www.americanbar.org).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Ideal candidates will possess the following:

+ Significant litigation experience in an administrative body, state or federal court.

+ The ability to oversee projects, including skill in analysis, evaluation, decision-making, delegation and follow-up.

+ Superior writing, research and editing skills.

+ Strong analytical reasoning, negotiation, legal research and oral and written communication skills.

+ Exceptional client counseling skills.

+ Ability to organize, prioritize, monitor and control workflow deadlines.

+ Ability to work well with and motivate others.

+ Demonstrated leadership ability and initiative on assigned tasks.

+ Experience providing client counseling.

+ Commitment to public service.

Preference may be given to candidates possessing the following:

+ Experience in litigation and trial work.

+ Experience in collections, foreclosures, mechanics liens, and bankruptcy.

+ Experience in determining real property ownership.

+ Experience with the Illinois Property Tax Code.

+ Experience in collections matters.

Application Process and Materials

You must submit an on-line application along with your resume here on this site by July 25, 2024.

+ Cover letter that (1) includes the position title and job number as noted on the posting; and (2) specifically identifies how you meet the minimum qualifications and have the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below;

+ Resume;

+ Law school transcript (official or unofficial);

+ One writing sample; and

+ Current printout of your attorney registration status from the Illinois ARDC website at www.iardc.org (or your admitted state bar’s equivalent).

Failure to submit all materials will result in your application not being considered for the position.

NOTE: Candidates experiencing trouble uploading the required documents to our system may e-mail the documents to: DOL.Application@cityofchicago.org . However, uploading documents directly to your CAREERS applicant profile is our preferred method of receipt.

Click to view our generous benefits package (https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dol/supp\info/attorney\vacancies.html#:~:text=Salary and Benefits,Retirement Pension Fund)

NOTE REGARDING PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS: Working for the City of Chicago Department of Law may qualify you for loan forgiveness under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For detailed information, visit www.StudentAid.gov/publicservice or contact your federal loan servicer.

NOTE REGARDING REFERENCES AND ADDITIONAL MATERIALS: Please do not submit references with your materials. Please do not send to us any materials other than those we have specifically requested above. Submission of references and/or additional materials other than what is specifically requested above shall result in your application not being considered for the position.

NOTE REGARDING QUESTIONS: If you have any questions regarding how to apply, please contact the Department of Human Resources. Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive, the Recruiting and Personnel Sections in the Department of Law are not able to take or return e-mails or phone calls seeking any information pertaining to the position or the process. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. Thank you for your interest in the City of Chicago Department of Law.

THIS POSITION IS EXEMPT FROM THE CAREER SERVICE.

NOTE: To be considered for this position you must provide information about your educational background and your work experience. You must include job titles, dates of employment, and specific job duties. (If you are a current City employee, Acting Up cannot be considered.) If you fail to provide this information at the time you submit your application, it will be incomplete, and you will not be considered for this position. There are three ways to provide the information: 1) you may attach a resume; 2) you may paste a resume; or 3) you can complete the online resume fields.

Education & Employment Verification: Please be advised that if you are selected to be hired, you must provide, upon request, adequate information regarding your educational and employment history as it relates to the qualifications of the position for which you are applying. If the City of Chicago cannot verify this information, any offer extended to you will be withdrawn and you will not be hired.

Fair Chance Hiring Employer: The City of Chicago is committed to being a Fair Chance Hiring employer. We value applicants with diverse experiences, including those who have had prior contact with the criminal legal system. Having a criminal history, including prior incarceration, arrest(s), and/or conviction(s) does not automatically disqualify you from employment with the City of Chicago.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment, the City will conduct a background check. The resulting report will be used to conduct an individualized assessment to determine if the nature of any prior conviction conflicts with the specific duties and responsibilities of the job for which you have been selected. If a conflict exists, you will be asked to present any evidence of rehabilitation that may mitigate the conflict, except when federal or state regulations bar employment in specific circumstances.

Commitment to Diversity: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications to be referred to departments for consideration.

Selection Requirements

This position requires applicants to complete an interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position will be selected.

Evaluation: Your initial evaluation will be based on the documents submitted. Applications must be submitted by the individual applicant. No second party applicatio