SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE GENERAL COUNSEL

Position Overview

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is seeking an organized, professional, and results oriented individual to serve as Special Assistant to the General Counsel.  DCFS offers a competitive compensation plan, excellent benefits, and a pension program.  The ideal candidate for this position will have excellent organizational skills and strong leadership and communication capabilities.  We invite you to join our innovative team to help make a positive difference in the lives of the children and families of Illinois.

Essential Functions

• Serves as Special Assistant to the General Counsel
• Serves as Special Assistant Attorney General, providing legal research, analysis, advice, and consultation on major federal litigation involving the Department
• Represents the Department in the circuit court of Cook County in mental health court petitions involving youth in care
• Devises and identifies legal strategies and advises on associated risks
• Serves as the agency liaison to the Child Welfare Litigation Bureau, functioning as the point person for questions, issues, discovery meetings, or other matters
• Provides input and assistance to the General Counsel in general law matters
• Provides input into various committees involving outside groups, as designated by the General Counsel
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires graduation from an accredited law school and possession of a valid license to practice law in Illinois
• Requires three years of administrative experience in the practice of law

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 years of professional experience as an attorney in civil litigation, class action litigation, or in government agencies
• 1 year of experience as an attorney in cases involving child welfare or juvenile law.
• 3 years of professional experience as an attorney conducting legal analysis.
• 3 years of substantive legal writing experience as an attorney in the areas of motions, pleadings, briefs, and memoranda.
• 3 years of professional experience working in a liaison capacity with various internal and external entities.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires the ability to pass a background check.
• Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties. Requires appropriate, valid driver's license.
• Certain provisions of the revolving door restrictions contained in 5 ILCS 430/5-45 apply to this position. As a result, the employee should be aware that if offered non-State employment during state employment or within one year immediately after ending State employment, the employee shall, prior to accepting any such non-State employment offer, notify the Office of the Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor (OEIG) or may be subject to a fine.
• This position has been found to meet the requirements in section 4A-101 of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act requiring the occupant/employee to file a Statement of Economic Interest. The Illinois Governmental Ethics Act (5 ILCS 420/4A et seq.) requires certain state officials and employees to file annual Statements of Economic Interest with the Office of the