Attorney

Attorney Civilian Office of Police Accountability Number of Positions: 1 (Additional vacancies possible pending budget approval) Starting Salary: $90,144 This position is open to current AFSCME BIDDERS AND the PUBLIC.Only current City employees covered under the City’s Collective Bargaining Agreement with AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME) – BARGAINING UNIT 1, 3, 4, & 5 are considered BIDDERS and are eligible to bid.Qualified BIDDERS who properly submit a bid application will receive preference over any non-bidders. WORKING WITH THE CIVILIAN OFFICE OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY (COPA) The mission of COPA is to: provide a just and efficient means to fairly and timely conduct investigations within our jurisdiction. determine whether allegations of police misconduct are well-founded. identify and address patterns of police misconduct; and make policy recommendations to improve the Chicago Police Department, there by reducing incidents of police misconduct. ROLE SUMMARY This position is with the City’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) and provides legal counsel in support of the agency’s mission to conduct fair police misconduct investigations and advises the investigative staff and department management on matters related to the department’s operations, and performs related duties as required. Under direction of senior management, the Attorney provides legal counsel to investigators regarding all substantive issues that arise from the office’s investigations. ESSENTIAL DUTIES Provides advice on legal issues related to investigations including issues concerning local, state, and federal laws, statutes, and contracts. Provides legal counsel on topics such as: evidence collection, labor and employment including collective bargaining agreements and the employee’s duty to cooperate, and the interpretation and enforcement of statutes and ordinances. Advises the Investigators and Supervising Investigators on strategic and legal investigative matters, including investigative techniques and the strength of evidence obtained. Writes and edits summary investigative reports. Performs legal research; writes and edits legal memoranda on issues related to investigations. Prepares affidavits and other documents for criminal, civil or administrative actions. Coordinates with outside law enforcement and prosecutorial entities as appropriate. Provides training on legal issues as requested by senior management. Assists in the development of departmental policies, procedures, and programs, as required Performs related duties as required. The list of essential duties is not intended to be exhaustive; there may be other duties that are essential. Location: 1615 W. Chicago Ave, 4th floor, Chicago, IL 60622 Days: Monday – Friday Hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm Salary: $90,144.00/Annually (non-negotiable) This position is in the Career Service MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Graduation from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school, plus three (3) years of work experience in the legal profession as a licensed attorney. NOTE: You must include a writing sample (10-15 pages in length) as an attachment to your application. The writing sample must be an original work (either wholly or substantially authored by you) and must reflect legal reasoning, such as a legal memo, motion to court, legal article, or research paper. Licensure, Certification, or Other Qualifications Admission to the Illinois Bar (or eligible for admission on motion to the Illinois Bar pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 705) Preference will be given to candidates possessing the following: Previous substantive work experience, at least one (1) year, in one of the following areas: criminal law, constitutional law, labor law, administrative law, or police oversight. SELECTION REQUIREMENTS This position requires applicants to complete an interview and to submit a written sample. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position will be selected. Writing Sample All Writing samples submitted in consideration for employment must comply with the following criteria: The sample may either be a professional project report, academic project report, or an official communication related to a professional or academic project or a work-related report or communication Each writing sample submitted must be no more than 10-15 pages in length Each writing sample must be accompanied by a cover page explaining: the sample’s original purpose (e.g., a writing class, a professional project, a memorandum for an employer, etc.). when (MM/DD/YYYY) and for whom the sample was written. the extent of editing by any third party; AND if the writing sample is an excerpt from a larger document, identify that larger document and provide context, if necessary ABOUT YOU Integrity: Maintaining a commitment to honesty, personal responsibility, excellence, and utmost professionalism in the work performed by COPA and in all internal and external interactions. This includes a commitment to identifying and dismantling discriminatory systems and culture within COPA, the Chicago Police Department, and the community. Transparency: Promoting the sharing of information about the work of COPA internally and externally in a manner not in conflict with City and COPA policy, such that the public trust in the mission of COPA is established and maintained. This includes a commitment to cultivating a respectful work environment and team building to ensure effective communication that furthers common goals. Independence: Conducting the business of COPA in a manner that is objective and free from political or other outside influences, such that the public trust in the mission and work of COPA is established and maintained. This includes a commitment to informed decision making and continual efforts to improves processes and systems to further the mission of COPA. Timeliness: Conducting the business of COPA in a manner that promotes timely and fair resolution to all matters. Application Evaluation Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago. Education & Employment Requirements and Verification You must provide information about your educational background and work experience including job titles, dates of employment (month/year), and specific job duties on your resume and/or application as it relates to the qualifications of the position for which you are applying. ‘Acting Up’ cannot be considered for current City employees. Please attach all applicable transcripts, diplomas, licenses, and/or certificates as outlined on the job posting for the position you are applying for. The initial evaluation will be based on information provided and documents submitted with the application. Applications must be submitted by the individual applicant. Employment applications lacking the required documentation will not be considered. For information regarding the required attachments, please review the description section of the job posting. Please be advised that if you have received your degree internationally, you will be required to provide a Foreign Credential Evaluation. If the City of Chicago cannot verify this information, any offer extended to you will be withdrawn and you will not be hired. COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates. To learn more about our hiring practices FAIR CHANCE HIRING EMPLOYER: The City of Chicago is committed to being a Fair Chance Hiring employer. We value applicants with diverse experiences, including those who have had prior contact with the criminal legal system. Having a criminal history, including prior incarceration, arrest(s), and/or conviction(s) does not automatically disqualify you from employment with the City of Chicago. If you receive a conditional offer of employment, the City will conduct a background check. The resulting report will be used to conduct an individualized assessment to determine if the nature of any prior conviction conflicts with the specific duties and responsibilities of the job for which you have been selected. If a conflict exists, you will be asked to present any evidence of rehabilitation that may mitigate the conflict, except when federal or state regulations bar employment in specific circumstances. Reasonable Accommodation: If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation due to disability or pregnancy in order to participate in the application process, please contact the City of Chicago, Department of Human Resources, at View phone number on click.appcast.io or View email address on click.appcast.io. Please be prepared to provide information in support of your reasonable accommodation request. Salary and Benefit Information: For more information regarding compensation with the City of Chicago, please visit: Classification_and_Pay_Plan.pdf For more information regarding benefits please visit: All references to political sponsorship or recommendations must be omitted from all application materials submitted for City employment. The City is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Military Friendly Employer. Residency Requirement: All employees of the City of Chicago must be actual residents of the City as outlined in 2-152-050 of the City Chicago Municipal Code. Proof of residency will be required. All positions with the City of Chicago close promptly at 11:59 pm CDT. Applications for this position will be accepted from July 11, 2026 until 11:59 pm CDT on August 10, 2026. No exceptions will be made. Brandon Johnson, Mayor #J-18808-Ljbffr