Associate Staff Attorney at Civilian Office of Police Accountability

WORKING WITH THE CIVILIAN OFFICE OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY (COPA)

The mission of COPA is to:

• provide a just and efficient means to fairly and timely conduct investigations within our jurisdiction.
• determine whether allegations of police misconduct are well-founded.
• identify and address patterns of police misconduct; and
• make policy recommendations to improve the Chicago Police Department, thereby reducing incident of police misconduct.

ROLE SUMMARY

Under guidance, provides professional legal support for COPA and performs duties, including, but not limited to: 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Researches and analyzes local, state, and federal law, ordinances and court decisions relevant to legal issues affecting COPA, including developments in 4^th Amendment law
• Researches legal requirements and evolving issues as they pertain to department operations; advise senior-level attorneys on same
• Participates in meeting with senior-level attorneys and other parties to discuss cases and strategies
• Drafts legal memoranda addressing outcome of research and other projects
• Issues and tracks subpoenas to assist in investigations
• Responds to discovery requests, subpoenas, and other requests for COPA files and records
• Prepares drafts of discovery responses and coordinates production of documentation and other records
• Assist in records retention and management initiatives
• Document review to assist senior-level attorneys, investigative staff, department managers
• Maintain current knowledge regarding confidentiality and transparency laws, including FOIA
• Respond to requests for information from the Department of Law, Office of the Inspector General, and other outside entities
• Assist in development of department policies and procedures
• Other duties as assigned

The list of essential duties is not intended to be exhaustive; there may be other duties that are essential.

Location:  1615 W. Chicago Ave, 4th floor, Chicago, IL 60622

Days:        Monday - Friday

Hours:      9:00am to 5:00pm

Salary:     $73,800.00

This position is exempt from the Career Service

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Graduation from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school

Accredited means any nationally or regionally accredited college, university, or law school where the applicant is enrolled in or has completed an Associates, Bachelors, Masters, or Juris Doctorate degree program.

Licensure, Certification, or Other Qualifications

Admission to the Illinois Bar (or eligible for admission on motion to the Illinois Bar pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 705)

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.

Preference will be given to candidates possessing the following:

• Previous professional experience with discovery and/or document review. 
• Previous professional experience overseeing discovery in a large law firm setting
• Previous clerkship or externship in a government environment.
• Previous professional experience in an investigatory, government, or law enforcement organization.
• Previous professional experience working with Microsoft Office Suite programs (i.e., Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel)
• Ability to speak, read, and/or write fluently in any other language than English.

ABOUT YOU:

COPA is seeking candidates with a strong focus on the following values:

• Integrity: Maintaining a commitment to honesty, personal responsibility, excellence, and utmost professionalism in the work performed by COPA and in all internal and external interactions.  This includes a commitment to identifying and dismantling discriminatory systems and culture within COPA, the Chicago Police Department, and the community. 
• Transparency: Promoting the sharing of information about the work of COPA internally and externally in a manner not in conflict with City and COPA policy, such that the public trust in the mission of COPA is established and maintained.  This includes a commitment to cultivating a respectful work environment and team building to ensure effective communication that furthers common goals. 
• Independence: Conducting the business of COPA in a manner that is objective and free from political or other outside influences, such that the public trust in the mission and work of COPA is established and maintained.  This includes a commitment to informed decision making and continual efforts to improves processes and systems to further the mission of COPA. 
• Timeliness: Conducting the business of COPA in a manner that promotes timely and fair resolution to all matters. 

All references to political sponsorship or recommendations must be omitted from all application materials submitted for City employment.

The City is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Military Friendly Employer.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT:

All employees of the City must be actual residents of the City as outlined in 2-152-050 of the City Chicago Municipal Code.  Proof of residency will be required.

Please note, all positions with the City of Chicago close promptly at 11:59 pm C.S.T.  Applications for this position will be accepted from June 13, 2024, until 11:59 pm CST on June 27, 2024. No exceptions will be made.