Senior Legal Assistant

Senior Legal Assistant

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 320,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 44,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Litigation Unit of the Board of Education's Law Department represents the Board, and its employees, in civil suits filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County and in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The Federal Litigation Unit handles matters pending primarily in the Northern District of Illinois, as well as administrative forums (e.g., EEOC, IDHR, and HRC). Matters include employment related claims (e.g., Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA), civil rights claims brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, substantive and procedural due process, and Title IX. The Federal Litigation Unit also handles administrative matters and provides client counseling.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Federal Litigation Unit's Assistant Deputy General Counsel, the Senior Legal Assistant performs routine administrative duties for assigned attorneys and provides general administrative support across the Law Office, including complex legal support tasks. The Senior Legal Assistant also provides support and guidance to junior support staff. This role is of a confidential nature and has regular access to Law Office and other CPS Departments' confidential files, data, and information, including confidential student and employee information. This is a full-time, non-exempt position that will be paid for time worked on an hourly basis.

The Senior Legal Assistant will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Maintaining and tracking the unit's docket of cases, including calendaring court dates, deadlines, and depositions.
• Maintaining and organizing the unit's electronic case files.
• Ensuring District compliance with settlement agreements.
• Opening and closing cases and matters in the Department's Matter Management System following Unit and legal protocols in case maintenance.
• Obtaining documents, payroll records, and other information to respond to subpoena and other requests.
• Reviewing and editing work-related tasks and responsibilities of administrative and legal assistants.
• Reviewing investigatory and other reports to redact certain confidential information.
• Preparing drafts of appearances, subpoenas, deposition notices.
• Coordinating various aspects of case management and document delivery with outside counsel.
• E-Filing in federal and state courts.
• Assisting attorneys during depositions, hearings, arbitrations, mediations, settlement conferences, and trials, including preparing witness folders, scheduling, exhibits, subpoenas, and providing technology assistance.
• Inputting data input and maintaining databases (e.g., open and closed files); analyzing data and trends in the Unit; compiling and generating reports.
• Maintaining cross-Unit and/or cross-Department databases and systems to support attorneys and ensure District compliance.
• Drafting and mailing tailored compliance letters to employees and victims under Title IX requirements.
• Other duties as assigned.

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Senior Legal Assistant must possess the following qualifications:

• Associate degree from an accredited college or university and a minimum of five (5) years of administrative support or clerical work experience; or
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and a minimum of three (3) years of administrative support or clerical work experience

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Exceptional attention to detail with the ability to maintain accuracy while balancing multiple time-sensitive priorities;
• Ability to review and interpret Unit and Department data and trends;
• Excellent organizational skills; demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize work in a dynamic, complex, fast-paced environment to meet and manage competing deadlines;
• Able to take ownership of, and independently manage, tasks, timelines and systems, following tasks through to completion with little or no follow-up; knows when to ask questions;
• Clear, effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills (speaking, writing, listening);
• Ability to define problems, analyze data, and outline valid conclusions and action steps;
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to interact positively and professionally at all times with team members, other Law Department staff, executive offices, internal clients and external partners;
• Strong typing skills and proficiency using Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Suite, and CM/ECF E-filing software;
• Solid working knowledge of legal terminology and court procedures;
• Ability to work collaboratively with Unit and Department representatives;
• Proficiency or ability to quickly gain proficiency using CPS and legal systems and applications (i.e., Oracle, PeopleSoft, SSM, Aspen, Matter Management System, docket management, document review, e-discovery);
• Hard-working team player.

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.