Staff Attorney - Immigrants & Workers' Rights (Employment Law)

Description

For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment. Our office, located in downtown Chicago at 200 N. LaSalle Street, is ADA accessible and has convenient access to public transportation and local expressways.

Position:

Legal Aid Chicago has an opening for a full-time Staff Attorney in our Employment Law team. The Employment Law team is part of the Immigrants and Workers’ Rights Practice Group (IWR), which includes the areas of Employment law, Immigration, Farmworkers’ rights, and Human Trafficking law. IWR’s four teams work both independently and sometimes in an interdisciplinary manner when these areas of law intersect.

IWR’s Employment Law team advocates for the rights of workers through litigation, negotiation, and advocacy in various venues. Areas of practice include but are not limited to: Wage and Hour; Discrimination and Harassment; Unemployment Insurance; claims brought under state and local protected leave laws; wrongful termination (including retaliation for whistleblowing); and other laws regulating the relationship between workers and their employers or that otherwise create barriers to employment. This position reports to a Supervisory Attorney and will begin as soon as possible.

Responsibilities include without limitation:

• Manage an individual caseload and provide full and effective legal representation to individuals
• Represent clients in various venues including before administrative agencies and in state and federal court. 
• Interview eligible clients and provide the appropriate level of legal services
• Engage in interdisciplinary work within IWR and the agency
• Participate in complex litigation or advocacy to address systemic issues
• Work collaboratively with Legal Aid Chicago staff, students and volunteers to provide comprehensive legal services
• Participate in training to agencies, advocates, clients, or community groups about legal services and rights impacting low-income persons
• Participate in other activities related to poverty law including outreach, publication, permissible legislative and administrative advocacy, media relations, and fundraising
• Maintain case files and accurate timekeeping in electronic case management system
• Assist with grant reporting, as appropriate and applicable
• Handle other duties as determined by the Supervisory Attorney and the Director.

Salary and Benefits:

This position is part of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320. The Collective Bargaining Agreement sets employment terms and compensation is determined by the CBA salary scale, based on paid experience.

The budgeted salary range for this position is $70,822-$77,872, which reflects 0-10 years of paid, credited experience.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Bilingual Staff Attorneys are eligible for an additional stipend
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
• Time Off: 15 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
• 19 paid holidays, including four (4) floating holidays
• Twelve weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of employment
• 403(b) retirement plan with an employer contribution after one year of employment
• $50,000 Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance, at no cost
• Access to Employee Assistance Program resources, at no cost
• Monthly internet reimbursement
• Legal Aid Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is an eligible employer for the federal public service loan forgiveness program

Requirements

Legal Aid Chicago encourages applications from individuals with relevant experience, particularly those who have direct experience with communities we serve or perspectives that help us understand and serve our clients better.

Qualifications:

• Applicants must be licensed to practice law in Illinois, be licensed in another state and able to waive into the Illinois bar, or be a law school graduate who will take the July 2026 Illinois bar exam and is eligible for a 711 license while awaiting exam results
• Experience or a demonstrated interest in Employment law is preferred
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including legal writing, are required
• The successful candidate will be self-directed, resourceful, and demonstrate an ability to take initiative in their work
• The successful candidate will also have strong client counseling skills, have a commitment to advocating for low-income      clients, and be someone who genuinely enjoys interacting with clients
• The applicant’s personal background, experience, or professional background should reflect an ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations with clients, co-workers and the community we serve. 
• The successful applicant will be collegial and demonstrate a commitment to and experience with our client communities and/or people living in poverty, and applicants are encouraged to share that experience in their cover letter
• The successful candidate will be collegial and committed to working as part of a highly collegial team
• Proficiency in Spanish is preferred but not required.

To Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and the contact information of two primary professional references and one alternative professional reference. For applicants with previous work experience, at least one reference must be a former supervisor. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled.

Legal Aid Chicago is firmly committed to creating a diverse workplace and is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of creed, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital or parental status, alienage, disability, political affiliation or belief, military or military discharge status, ex-offender status, family responsibilities, reproductive health decisions or any other protected status.

If an accommodation is needed to complete this application, contact Human Resources at humanresources@legalaidchicago.org.

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond to individual inquiries regarding an application status. We will contact candidates who are selected for the next stage of the hiring process.