Assistant Corporation Counsel Supervisor – Constitutional & Commercial Litigation

The City of Chicago Department of Law is seeking an attorney for the position of Assistant Corporation Counsel Supervisor in the Constitutional & Commercial Litigation Division.  The Constitutional and Commercial Litigation Division represents the City and City officials in a broad range of constitutional, policy, and commercial litigation in both federal and state courts, specializing in cases raising complex, novel, or high-profile legal issues.  One major focus of the Division is litigating federal and state constitutional and statutory challenges to the City’s ordinances and policies. Recent examples include First Amendment speech and religion challenges to the regulations governing Millennium Park; Second Amendment claims against the City’s assault weapons law; and takings, due process, and equal protection challenges to City regulations governing the homesharing and ridesharing industries.  The Division also defended many of the constitutional and statutory challenges to the City’s efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, attorneys defend City land use and zoning decisions, such as ordinances authorizing the Obama Presidential Center and the Lincoln Yards developments, ordinances concerning affordable housing, and departmental decisions concerning the development of Navy Pier and the permitting of proposed recycling facilities. The Division also represents the City in commercial litigation, including government procurement and contract disputes, and routinely provides legal advice and counseling to City departments and officials on policy development and implementation.

The Assistant Corporation Counsel Supervisor will work under the general supervision of the Deputy Corporation Counsel and the Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel of the Division and will manage a litigation caseload as lead counsel while supervising Assistant Corporation Counsels working on the cases.  Some of the essential duties of the Assistant Corporation Counsel Supervisor include, but are not limited to, litigating cases in both federal and state courts; supervising Assistant Corporation Counsels who are working on those cases; drafting pleadings, motions, briefs, and other court documents; reviewing and editing pleadings, motions, briefs, and other court documents drafted by Assistant Corporation Counsels; conducting and managing discovery and supervising Assistant Corporation Counsels on discovery matters; representing the City, City officials, and City employees in contested court proceedings, including emergency motions for temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunction hearings, and trials; advising City departments on legal issues related to the Division’s practice; and assisting in administrative duties as necessary.

Qualifications
Application Process and Materials

You must submit an on-line application along with your resume here on this site.

·         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 (or your admitted state bar’s equivalent).

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

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Ideal candidates will possess:

·         At least eight (8) years of litigation experience in federal and state courts;

·         Superior academic achievement as shown by measures such as grade point average, class rank, honors or participation in at least one of the following activities in law school: law journal, moot court, clinical experience, or judicial externship or internship;

·         Experience with, and demonstrated ability to manage, complex litigation;

·         Experience conducting contested hearings, including trials and preliminary injunction hearings;

·         Experience in conducting discovery, including expert and lay depositions and e-discovery;

·         Excellent writing skills, including the ability to write clearly and persuasively;

·         Excellent oral communication and negotiating skills, including the ability to argue persuasively;

·         The ability to work well with others; and

·         The ability to manage and supervise attorneys.