Assistant to the General Counsel
Chicago, IL, US, 60601
Job Requisition ID: 55007
Opening Date: 04/09/2026
Closing Date: 04/23/2026
Agency: Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board
Class Title: PARALEGAL ASSISTANT - 30860
Skill Option: None
Bilingual Option: None
Salary: Anticipated Starting Salary $4,954 - $6,186, monthly
Job Type: Salaried
Category: Full Time
County: Cook
Number of Vacancies: 1
Bargaining Unit Code: None
Merit Comp Code: Agency Excluded from RC062 Collective Bargaining Coverage
A resume is highly encouraged to evaluate your qualifications and skills as part of your application. Please attach a DETAILED Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV) to the MY DOCUMENTS section of your application if you decide to provide one.
Position Overview:
Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB) is seeking to fill the position of Paralegal Assistant to serve as the confidential assistant to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB) and the General Counsel. This position provides specialized legal and administrative support across multiple functional areas of the agency. The Paralegal Assistant will act as the Case Coordinator for the Appellate Division, managing case flow, preparing case files, and maintaining related records to ensure timely movement and accuracy of appellate matters. The position also performs essential administrative work related to Board records, databases, and official documentation, ensuring compliance with established procedures, record‑keeping standards, and confidentiality requirements. In addition, the Paralegal Assistant serves as the Mediation Coordinator, supporting the scheduling, tracking, communication, and documentation of mediation activities. The role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, the ability to handle confidential information, and effective communication with internal and external stakeholders. IELRB encourages those interested and qualified to apply.
Illinois Education Labor Relations Board offers a robust benefit package including:
- Monday-Friday schedule
- Health, life, vision, and dental insurance
- Paid Parental leave
- Pension Plan
- Deferred Compensation, and other pre-tax benefit programs
- Employees earn (12) paid sick days annually
- (10-25) paid vacation days (based on years of service)
- Employees earn (3) paid personal days (pro-rated based on start date)
- (13-14) paid state holidays annually
Work hours and schedule will be mutually agreed upon by supervisor during the onboarding process.
Why Work for Illinois?
Working with the State of Illinois is a testament to the values of compassion, equity, and dedication that define our state. Whether you’re helping to improve schools, protect our natural resources, or support families in need, you’re part of something bigger—something that touches the lives of every person who calls Illinois home.
Essential Functions
- Subject to management approval, serves as the confidential assistant to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB) and General Counsel.
- Serves as the Case Coordinator for the Appellate Division.
- Performs administrative work for Board records and database.
- Serves as Mediation Coordinator.
- Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.
Minimum Qualifications
- Requires knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to completion of four years of college with coursework in such areas as legal, pre-legal, English, statistics or directly related coursework.
Preferred Qualifications
- Prefers two (2) years professional experience organizing and managing case files, including maintaining electronic and physical files, tracking deadlines, and ensuring documents are filed and organized correctly.
- Prefers two (2) years professional experience with legal court procedures, processes, and terminology.
- Prefers two (2) years professional experience as confidential assistant drafting meeting minutes and agendas.
- Prefers extensive knowledge in Adobe PDF.
- Prefers extensive knowledge in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) or comparable software applications.
- Prefers two (2) years professional experience with law office or administrative agency case docketing systems.
- Prefers ability to use Westlaw and/or Lexis.
Conditions of Employment
- Requires completion of a background check and self-disclosure of criminal history.
- 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 Secretary of State that will be made available for examination and copying by the public. All employees required to file a Statement of Economic Interest are also required to file the Supplemental Statement of Economic Interest with Executive Ethics Commission. (See Executive Order 15-09) Fines and penalties apply to untimely filings.
- 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.
The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.
About the Agency
The IELRB is the state agency responsible for administering the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act (IELRA), which establishes the right of educational employees to organize and bargain collectively. Some of the methods the IELRB employs to protect these rights include conducting on-site ballot elections to determine educational employees’ preferences regarding union representation; certifying and clarifying bargaining units; investigating unfair labor practice charges; ruling on unfair labor practice charges; and conducting hearings and issuing formal decisions to decide labor disputes between educational employees and their employers. The IELRB utilizes a three-tiered adjudicatory process: all initial cases are reviewed and decided by the agency Executive Director; all hearings are conducted and decided by one of the Board Agents; and all appeals and final orders are heard and decided by the agency’s five-member Board.
Work Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30am-5:00pm
Headquarter Location: 160 N Lasalle St, Chicago, Illinois, 60601
Work County: Cook
Agency Contact: Cathy Banks
Email: Cathy.A.Banks@illinois.gov
Phone #: 312-793-3170
Posting Group: Legal, Audit & Compliance
Revolving Door:
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.
The main form of communication will be through email. Please check your “junk mail”, “spam”, or “other” folder for communication(s) regarding any submitted application(s). You may receive emails from the following addresses:
- donotreply@SIL-P1.ns2cloud.com
- systems@SIL-P1.ns2cloud.com
Nearest Major Market: Chicago