Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel - Torts Division - City of Chicago

Job Number:

The City of Chicago Law Department is seeking an attorney for the position of Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel in its Torts Division.  The Torts Division has a busy litigation and trial practice in which its attorneys defend the City and its employees in personal injury, wrongful death, and property damage cases and represent the City in workers’ compensation and insurance coverage matters.  The Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel will work under the general supervision of the Deputy Corporation Counsel of the Torts Division and assist in the management of the work of the Division’s approximately 28 attorneys, 13 staff members, and the City Claims Unit. In addition to supervising, training, and advising the attorneys and staff, the responsibilities of this position include counseling client departments and City policymakers, assisting with budgetary matters, working with client departments to facilitate responses to discovery and other litigation requests, evaluating settlement recommendations, preparing reports, analyzing legislation and court rulings relative to tort law and governmental immunities, and participating in hiring and other personnel matters.  The Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel will also be responsible for litigating a reduced docket of higher exposure cases, including filing dispositive motions, and conducting jury trials and settlement negotiations.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Ideal candidates will possess the following:

• six (6) years of legal experience as a licensed attorney of which one (1) year is in a supervisory role;
• seven (7) jury trials;
• litigation and trial experience handling personal injury or medical malpractice cases of increasing complexity, including advanced motion practice, depositions of medical and expert witnesses, and examination of opinion witnesses at trial;
• superior knowledge of common-law and statutory tort immunities
• excellent oral communication skills and the ability to interact effectively with a wide variety of clients regarding their concerns and legal needs, often on an emergent basis;
• ability to write effectively and persuasively often under time constraints and experience reviewing and editing the written work of others;
• experience evaluating, making settlement recommendations, and conducting settlement negotiations in personal injury or medical malpractice cases;
• familiarity with workers’ compensation or insurance coverage matters;
• the ability to work well with others;
• the ability to exhibit leadership and initiative; and
• the ability to organize, prioritize, monitor, and control workflow and meet deadlines.

Application Process and Materials

You must submit an on-line application along with the below items on this site by June 20, 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. 

Salary: $162,000.00 annually

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. 

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). 

Click to view our generous benefits package 

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 hard copy materials, but they can be provided through the online system. 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. 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. 

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 applications will be accepted. 

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

If you would like to request reasonable accommodation due to disability or pregnancy in order to participate in the application process, please contact the City of Chicago, Department of Human Resources, at 312-744-4976 (voice) or 312-744-5035 (TTY).  Please be prepared to provide information in support of your reasonable accommodation request.  

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ANY AND ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT. 

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

City ofChicago 

        Brandon Johnson        
Mayor 

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