Purpose:

SEIU Healthcare IL IN MO KS is a dynamic, action-oriented union representing 95,000 healthcare and child care workers throughout Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Kansas. We believe in a society defined by freedom and justice, where we can all have quality education, health care and jobs, and where we all can live a full and plentiful life of our choosing. SEIU HCIIMK’s mission is to organize together to build power and demand and win social and economic justice for our communities.

 

Location: Chicago, IL - Hybrid

 

Role Purpose

The General Counsel will report directly to the President/CEO and work in close collaboration with the Executive Leadership Team and Division leadership to provide strategic legal guidance and ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. This position will serve as an advisor to SEIU HCII on legal matters, contract compliance, and regulatory adherence across multiple states within the union’s jurisdiction. The position will be responsible for developing and executing the organization’s comprehensive legal strategy, ensuring that all legal and contractual obligations align with the union’s mission and operational goals. Additionally, this role will act as the principal liaison to external legal counsel, managing relationships with outside attorneys and ensuring effective legal representation and advocacy.

 

Duties and Responsibilities:

Performs a wide range of duties, which may vary according to the organization’s needs, and include:

• Serve as the General Counsel of HCII’s complex labor organization operating in various states and under the purview of the labor boards.
• Oversee and coordinate all legal operations within the organization, managing a dynamic portfolio of over 100 active legal matters. This includes direct handling of cases or strategic supervision of external legal counsel to ensure alignment with organizational objectives and compliance standards.
• Act as the primary liaison with external legal firms, facilitating effective communication, ensuring the quality and consistency of legal services, and managing legal expenditures to optimize cost-efficiency.
• Serve as lead counsel (first chair) in a variety of legal proceedings, including arbitrations, personnel-related hearings, administrative hearings, labor board proceedings, and other litigation matters as well as managing all aspects of litigation, either directly or through delegation and supervision of outside counsel, encompassing case evaluations, witness preparation, document review, oral arguments, brief drafting, and legal research.
• Provide legal support for organizing campaigns.
• Ensure legal compliance with regulatory mandates, including lobbying reporting and registration laws and other requirements concerning electoral work and campaign finance.
• Ensure the legality of all procedures related to the collection of dues, including membership card language, union security procedures, and membership revocation processes.
• Review all contracts with vendors, insurance contracts, real estate issues, etc.
• Assist in formulating legislation and collective bargaining agreement language.
• Assist in the development of protocols, guidelines, manuals, and handbooks.
• Vet union publications for potential legal issues.
• Advise on Human Resources decisions regarding staff and dealings with the staff union.
• Coordinate the union’s defense against charges, lawsuits, etc., brought against the Union.
• Conduct staff and membership training.

 

Scope and Nature of Supervision:

In this senior leadership role, the candidate must be able to organize their time and develop and carry out plans with minimal supervision. They should also have superior leadership and collaboration skills and abilities to oversee and manage external vendor services/contracts and contracting attorney relationships. The candidate must also be able to receive direction from and interact with their immediate supervisor and other union leadership.

 

Criteria for Evaluation:

The General Counsel provides legal counsel to a large, multi-state labor organization and oversees all legal matters, managing a caseload of over 100 cases. Key assessment areas include creating and maintaining a primary liaison relationship with outside counsel and, at times, successfully acting as lead counsel in arbitration, administrative hearings, and litigation. In addition, ensuring compliance with regulatory mandates, including lobbying laws, campaign finance, and union security procedures, while reviewing contracts, membership policies, and collective bargaining agreements. Legal labor knowledge is critical to this role. Written and verbal communication skills are also vital.

 

Working Conditions:

May be required to work long and irregular hours, and to work on weekends and holidays when necessary. Travel, potentially, may be required within our geographies and to legal hearings, bargaining sessions, or events as needed.

 

Key Qualification Criteria:

The ideal candidate will have at least five (5) or more years of experience practicing as an attorney in progressive positions of responsibility. And at least three (3) years of supervisory experience managing and or/supervising outside counsel, internal attorneys, paralegals, etc and responsibilities for advising an entire department or organization. Experience within a labor organization or union-side law firm is required with the ability to understand the unique challenges and opportunities facing Labor Unions. They will also demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and qualities:

 

• Must have a juris doctor from an accredited law school and hold a valid license to practice law in Illinois.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills are requirements for this position, as well as the aptitude to articulate complex legal concepts.
• Demonstrated knowledge of labor law, particularly in areas related to collective bargaining, unfair labor practices, mediation, and arbitration, with the ability to interpret relevant statutes, legal decisions, and regulatory guidelines. Familiarity with labor laws in Illinois, Missouri, and/or Indiana is preferred but not required.
• Significant experience with at least one of the following types of organizations: labor unions, progressive issue advocacy organizations, community organizations, political campaigns, and elected officials, employer/union relations.
• Basic understanding of the principles of organizing. Experience in internal and/or external organizing is preferred.
• Personal commitment to the mission and goals of SEIU HCII is a requirement of this position.
• Computer literacy and the ability to learn union-specific computer systems within the first months of employment are required.
• Occasional in-and out-of-state travel and overnight travel may be required.
• Strong personal planning and time management skills, ability to develop and carry out work plans with minimal supervision, and ability to work with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds are also necessary skills.
• Demonstrated experience providing strategic legal leadership within a labor union or similar organization, including supervising in-house legal teams and/or managing relationships with external counsel to effectively handle labor-related legal matters such as collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, and compliance with labor laws.
• Excellent independent judgment and attention to sensitive relationships and confidential information are considered key components to achieving performance standards.
• Commitment and capacity to maintain the highest level of integrity, judgment, confidentiality, and discretion in managing union information and resources.
• Advanced problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to address unique challenges faced by member-driven organizations through innovative solutions.

Salary and Benefits:

• The salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Starting salary range: $124,530 - $155,610. Company-paid Benefits are included.