General Counsel (Chicago)

Perm/contract: Permanent
Status: Full-time
Reports to: President of the Civic Committee and Commercial Club of Chicago

The Commercial Club of Chicago and Civic Committee Overview

The Commercial Club of Chicago works to shape Chicago’s future to make our region a better place for everyone to live, work, and do business. Since 1877 we have helped shape Chicago into one of the world’s greatest cities. The Commercial Club of Chicago is a membership organization of senior leaders in the region. Our members span the business, education, civic, cultural, and philanthropic sectors - unified by excitement for the future of Chicago. We believe cooperation and an open exchange of ideas are fundamental to success. Today, the Commercial Club continues to address social and economic issues of importance to the Chicago region.

In 1983, the Civic Committee was formed as an entity within the Commercial Club to identify key issues facing the State of Illinois and the greater Chicago region and providing leadership, high-quality research, long-term policy recommendations and programmatic actions for the benefit of the city and region. The Civic Committee is composed of the leaders of the Chicago region’s leading private sector employers and works with public officials and other civic organizations on transformational initiatives to promote our region's social and economic well-being. The Civic Committee generally serves as the Commercial Club’s lead on policy and initiatives in public safety, business diversity, transportation and infrastructure, and state and local finance.

We also work alongside, and partially fund, the organizations established by us to tackle key issues head-on:

• Civic Consulting Alliance: Civic Consulting Alliance has an effective model for addressing systemic problems and achieving lasting change. We leverage the power of public-private collaboration through a unique approach to management consulting, to channel Chicago’s proud history of civic engagement.
• Kids First Chicago: Kids First Chicago’s mission is to dramatically improve education for Chicago’s children by ensuring high-quality public schools are accessible to all families. We believe a healthy education environment where kids, schools, and communities thrive is the key to a world-class city. We believe that those closest to our students - families, community members, and educators - are best equipped to design policies and systems that will improve equity and lead to stronger outcomes for our students, communities, and city.
• P33: Our ambition is to transform Chicago into a tier one technology and innovation hub and promote inclusive economic growth.

This is a full-time position with benefits, reporting to the President of the Civic Committee and Commercial Club of Chicago. Initial employment will be on an introductory basis, with detailed evaluations and feedback for new employees at the 30-, 60-, and 90-day marks.

Position Summary

The General Counsel serves as the chief legal advisor to the organization, providing both strategic and operational legal guidance to the executive team. This role is responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, managing legal risk, and overseeing matters related to governance, contracts, employment, and nonprofit regulatory obligations. By doing so, the General Counsel helps strengthen the organization’s legal and operational foundation. The position works closely with senior leadership, staff, and—when appropriate—the Board of Directors. It also manages all legal matters, including coordination with external counsel (pro bono, insurance-related, and retained legal services).

Essential Functions

• Advise the CEO, Board of Directors, and senior leadership on legal matters affecting the organization.
• Ensure compliance with Illinois nonprofit corporation law, IRS regulations, and other applicable federal, state, and local laws, consistent with the organizations’ tax-exempt status.
• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, MOUs, grant agreements, and partnership agreements.
• Support governance matters, including board policies, bylaws, and meeting procedures.
• Manage legal aspects of employment law, including employee handbooks, investigations, employee transitions, and legal compliance, in partnership with external counsel as necessary.
• Liaise with Human Resources Manager on benefits and payroll compliance including contracts and benefit plan restatements, including 401k.
• Support risk management, insurance, and liability mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate with outside counsel as needed.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments relevant to the organization’s mission and operations.
• Provide legal support for fundraising, lobbying, and advocacy activities, ensuring compliance with lobbying disclosure and charitable solicitation laws.
• Provide legal support for fundraising relative to accounting rules in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
• Maintain corporate records and filings, including annual reports, charitable registrations, and business licenses.
• Manage real estate negotiations, execution of leases, on-going monitoring, and renewals.
• Collaborate closely with policy leads across program areas to provide legal insight, strengthen policy positions, and ensure initiatives are grounded in sound legal frameworks.

Primary Responsibilities

• Strategic Advisor to Leadership: Provide forward‑looking legal counsel to executive leadership on emerging legal issues, translating complex concepts into actionable insights that align with organizational priorities. Ensure leadership maintains a clear understanding of legal rights, obligations, and potential impacts on operations.
• Develop & Implement Legal Strategies: Maintain a comprehensive understanding of the Civic Committee and Commercial Club’s operations, governance structures, and key legal documents to design and execute legal strategies that support organizational goals. Lead the drafting, review, and negotiation of critical legal documents to ensure alignment with business and policy objectives.
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation Management: Serve as the strategic point of contact for all litigation matters. Partner with external counsel to drive effective litigation strategies and ensure the organization’s interests are protected.
• Lobbying & Advocacy Support: In coordination with outside legal counsel, provide legal guidance on lobbying activities, ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state, and local lobbying laws and regulations. Support the execution of lobbying strategies, registration and reporting obligations, and compliance protocols for staff and member engagement.
• Risk Management: Develop and maintain a risk management framework to identify, assess, and mitigate legal and operational risks. Advise leadership on risk exposure and implement proactive measures to strengthen compliance and reduce vulnerability.

Position Requirements

Education and Experience Requirements

• J.D. from an accredited law school and admission to the Illinois Bar (or eligibility for in-house counsel registration).
• Minimum 7–10 years of legal experience
• Strong knowledge of nonprofit or corporate governance, tax-exempt law, and Illinois corporate law.
• Experience with employment law, contracts, and regulatory compliance.
• Excellent judgment, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast‑paced, civic‑oriented environment.
• The ability to establish connections with staff at all levels to enhance collaboration and facilitate effective communication.

Preferred Experience

• Experience supporting boards of directors and governance structures.
• Familiarity with advocacy, lobbying compliance, or political activity rules for nonprofits.
• Prior in‑house experience.
• Knowledge and understanding of the key policy issues related to the Chicago region and the state of Illinois preferred.

Required Personal Attributes

• Integrity and Ethics: Demonstrates the highest level of professional integrity and ethical standards.
• Judgment: Exercises sound legal and business judgment in complex and sensitive matters.
• Adaptability: Comfortable navigating ambiguity and shifting priorities in a dynamic nonprofit environment.
• Collaboration: Works effectively with diverse stakeholders, including board members, staff, and external partners.
• Mission-Driven: Deep commitment to the organization’s civic and economic development mission.
• Legal Acumen: Deep understanding of nonprofit law, governance, and compliance frameworks.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to align legal strategy with organizational goals and long‑term vision.
• Risk Management: Proactively identifies and mitigates legal and reputational risks.
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex legal concepts to non‑lawyers.
• Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead legal initiatives and influence decision‑making at the executive level.

The position is in Chicago. Regular travel within the city is required. We believe that the path to achieving our missions requires our organizations and teams to regularly collaborate, work in teams, maintain collegiality, and provide a space for thought‑partnership]]> <