Assistant Corporation Counsel I - Collections, Ownership and Administrative Litigation

About the role

The City of Chicago Law Department is seeking an attorney for the position of Assistant Corporation Counsel (ACC I) in the Collections, Ownership and Administrative Litigation (COAL) Division. COAL is responsible for enforcing a significant number of municipal laws and holding individuals and entities that violate those laws accountable. Its primary mandates are to (1) enforce fines, fees, and penalties, and to collect other amounts owed to the City; and (2) determine the owners and other parties responsible for municipal law violations. COAL also represents the City and its departments in foreclosure and lien proceedings, bankruptcy matters (including appeals to the district court), tax deed petitions, debt due and owing and ownership disputes at the City’s Department of Administrative Hearings, and in a host of other matters. The ACC I will work under the general supervision of the Deputy, Chief, and Supervising Attorney of the Division and assist in the counseling of various Client Departments.

Responsibilities

• Enforce fines, fees, and penalties and collect amounts owed to the City
• Determine owners and other parties responsible for municipal law violations
• Represent the City and its departments in foreclosure and lien proceedings
• Handle bankruptcy matters, including appeals to the district court
• Manage tax deed petitions
• Resolve debt due and owing and ownership disputes at the Department of Administrative Hearings
• Assist in counseling various Client Departments
• Work under the supervision of the Deputy, Chief, and Supervising Attorney

Requirements

• Graduation from an American Bar Association accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree
• Admission to the Illinois Bar (or eligible for admission on motion to the Illinois Bar pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 705), in good standing with the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission
• Or, if applicable, intent to take the bar exam to obtain required Illinois licensure indicated in cover letter

Qualifications

• Excellent analytical skills
• Ability to organize, prioritize, monitor, and control workflow deadlines
• Ability to work and communicate well with others
• Experience working with short deadlines
• Ability to exhibit leadership and initiative on assigned tasks
• Superior writing, research, and editing skills
• Experience providing client counseling

Skills

• Experience determining real property ownership
• Experience reviewing and analyzing property deeds, mortgages, liens, and foreclosures
• Experience in project management
• Experience in collections matters
• Experience in bankruptcy cases

Benefits

The City of Chicago offers a generous benefits package; details are available at https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html. Employment with the City of Chicago Department of Law may qualify for loan forgiveness under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (see StudentAid.gov/publicservice).

Pay

Salary: $80,448 – $134,028 (based on experience and credentials).

Posted October 22, 2026 | Job code: BU 09