CHIEF LITIGATION DIRECTOR

Position Summary

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is seeking an organized, professional, and results-oriented individual to serve as Chief Litigation Director. Subject to management approval, this position will provide oversight to professional staff and managers.  The position will assume line authority for the Department’s litigation services and will serve as chief policy formulating administrator for agency policy through litigation matters involving DCFS staff, programs, and operations.  Additionally, the position will represent the Department before other state agencies and governmental entities, private and public organizations, and other community and professional groups, while also serving as a principal liaison with the Attorney General’s Office.  This position is a great opportunity for someone with the desire to use their legal skills 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. We invite all qualified applicants to apply to join our innovative team to help make a difference in the lives of children and families.

Essential Functions

• Serves as Chief Litigation Director for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
• Reports in a timely manner on all aspects of litigation to the General Counsel and other appropriate parties, including the Director
• Directs the preparation of regular and special reports dealing with litigation results to evaluate current and proposed DCFS activities
• With authority to commit the Department to a specific course of action related to efforts pertaining to dispute resolution, represents the Department before other state agencies and governmental entities, private and public organizations, and other community and professional groups
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires completion of law school and possession of a valid license to practice law in Illinois
• Requires four years of experience in the practice of law

Preferred Qualifications

• 4 years of experience managing professional legal staff
• 4 years of experience as an attorney in cases involving child welfare or juvenile law
• 4 years of experience as an attorney presenting and arguing legal cases in court and/or administrative hearings
• 4 years of legal writing experience as an attorney in the areas of motions, pleadings, briefs, and/or memoranda
• 4 years of experience utilizing 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

1. Requires the ability to pass a background check
2. Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties. Requires possession of an appropriate, valid driver’s license
3. Per Executive Order 2018-07, requires engagement with Business Enterprise Program (BEP) contractors and subcontractors and support for the goals of the BEP program and the Fair Contracting Task Force when applicable
4. 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

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.