Supervisory Attorney

Description

For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment. Our office, located in downtown Chicago at 120 S. LaSalle Street, is ADA accessible and has convenient access to public transportation and local expressways.  This position may require travel to court or other outreach events.

Position

Legal Aid Chicago seeks a full-time Supervisory Attorney in our Consumer Practice Group (CPG). CPG provides individual legal representation, community education, and strategic advocacy in the areas of homeownership preservation, bankruptcy, consumer fraud, predatory lending, debt collection, and utilities.

Responsibilities include, without limitation 

• Maintain a caseload of individual cases in the areas CPG handles, and represent clients in state and federal court, including bankruptcy court (with an emphasis on novel and/or co-counseled cases)
• Supervise attorneys and other staff in CPG who handle a full caseload in the above areas of law, including editing their written work, providing guidance on case strategy, co-counseling complex cases, conducting regular case reviews, providing training in substantive areas of law as well as litigation skills, completing performance evaluations, and overseeing professional development
• Maintain knowledge in other areas of law handled by Legal Aid Chicago to ensure that clients’ legal needs are identified and met in those areas
• Participate in complex litigation or advocacy to address systemic issues.
• Engage in community outreach and participate in training to agencies, advocates, clients, or community groups about legal services and rights impacting low-income persons
• Represent Legal Aid Chicago on relevant community task forces, committees, or other government or non-profit bodies connected with our work
• Work collaboratively with Legal Aid Chicago supervisors, staff, students and volunteers to provide comprehensive legal services
• Maintain case files and accurate time records in electronic case management system and ensure supervised staff do as well
• Participate in other activities related to poverty law including publication, permissible legislative and administrative advocacy, media relations, and fundraising
• Assist in reporting and administering applicable grants
• Other duties as assigned

Salary and Benefits:

The budgeted salary range for this position is $89,704 - $99,704, which reflects an applicant with a law school graduation date between 2020 and 2010.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Bilingual Supervisory Attorneys are eligible for an additional stipend
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
• Time Off: 21 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
• 19 paid holidays, including four floating holidays
• Twelve weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of employment
• 401(a) retirement plan with an employer contribution after 3 months of employment
• $100,000 Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance, at no cost
• Access to Employee Assistance Program resources, at no cost
• Chicago Bar Association Membership, at no cost
• Reimbursement of annual ARDC registration fees
• Monthly internet reimbursement
• Legal Aid Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is an eligible employer for the federal public service loan forgiveness program

Requirements

Legal Aid Chicago encourages applications from individuals with relevant experience, particularly those who have direct experience with communities we serve or perspectives that help us understand and serve our clients better. 

Licensed in or eligible to become licensed in the State of Illinois. The ideal candidate will have at least 6 years of demonstrated experience in litigation, experience supervising legal work, and substantial experience litigating consumer law cases in state and federal court, including bankruptcy court. Applicants must be highly collegial, have complex litigation experience, strong written and oral skills, be willing to work in an interdisciplinary manner with all Legal Aid Chicago staff, and have enthusiasm about working in a fast-paced practice and training and mentoring less experienced attorneys and advocacy staff. Experience working with people living in poverty strongly preferred. The applicant’s personal background, experience, or professional background should reflect an ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations with clients, co-workers and the community we serve.

To Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and the contact information of two primary professional references and one alternative professional reference. For applicants with previous work experience, at least one reference must be a former supervisor. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled.

Legal Aid Chicago is firmly committed to creating a diverse workplace and is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of creed, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital or parental status, alienage, disability, political affiliation or belief, military or military discharge status, ex-offender status, family responsibilities, reproductive health decisions or any other protected status.

If an accommodation is needed to complete this application, contact Human Resources at [email protected].

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond to individual inquiries regarding an application status. We will contact candidates who are selected for the next stage of the hiring process.