SUPERVISORY REGIONAL COUNSEL

Supervisory Regional Counsel

We continually strive for a workforce that reflects the growing diversity within the State of Illinois. A variety of employee backgrounds, perspectives, ideas and experiences are crucial to our ability to most effectively serve the public. Bilingual skills welcome.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is seeking an organized, professional, and results oriented individual to serve as Supervisory Regional Counsel. Under administrative direction, this position will represent the Department at all hearings on calendars in the juvenile courts of assigned counties, including temporary custody, adjudication, disposition, permanency, status, progress, termination of parental rights, and motion hearings. Additionally, the position will provide technical advice and counsel to Agency personnel conducting all levels of administrative "fair hearings" and serve as the Department's representative in the "fair hearing" process, while supervising a subordinate attorney or paralegal.

This position is a great opportunity for anyone who would like to use their skills as an attorney to benefit child welfare services. DCFS offers a competitive compensation plan, excellent benefits, and a pension program. The ideal candidate for this position will have excellent legal and organizational skills and strong leadership capabilities.

Essential Functions:

• Serves as Supervisory Regional Counsel
• Provides technical advice and counsel to Agency personnel conducting all levels of administrative "fair hearings"
• Serves as full line supervisor
• Serves as legal advisor to regional field staff
• Plans, directs, and conducts technical legal screening and provides case consultation to caseworkers and supervisors to help prepare cases for termination of parental rights (TPR), to determine when cases are trial ready for TPR
• Serves as agency liaison to judiciary, State's Attorney offices, and various court personnel in each county in the region
• Maintains current working knowledge of new legislation, Department rules and policy, and all relevant law

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires possession of a valid license to practice law in Illinois
• Requires three years of administrative experience in the practice of law

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience as an attorney in cases involving child welfare or juvenile law
• Experience as an attorney presenting and arguing legal cases in court and/or administrative hearings
• Experience as an attorney conducting legal analysis
• Substantive legal writing experience as an attorney in the areas of motions, pleadings, briefs, and memoranda
• Professional experience working in a liaison capacity with various internal and external entities
• Thorough knowledge of Illinois statutes and rules that have a substantial impact on Illinois juvenile court proceedings and/or DCFS's administrative hearings

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

About the Agency:

DCFS is deeply committed to the welfare and protection of children. Our goal is to protect children by strengthening and supporting families. In every effort, from receiving hotline calls to reaching family reunification or foster care and adoption, children and families are our focus. The Office of Legal Services works in a supportive capacity to ensure Departmental adherence to all applicable laws, statutes, regulations, and court orders.

Work Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Work Location: 4 W Old State Capitol Plz, Springfield, Illinois, 62701

Agency Contact: Michael Bernardy View email address on click.appcast.io (for questions only)