Employment Opportunities
We Currently Have Employment Opportunities
EFE requires full COVID-19 vaccination compliance including booster.
STAFF ATTORNEY – SPECIAL EDUCATION CLINIC (#1449409)
The Staff Attorney position is within the Special Education Clinic. The Special Education Clinic provides services to students with all disabilities and their families in securing vital special educational placements, supports, and services. This Staff Attorney position involves expanding upon and initiating partnerships primarily in Cook County, but also statewide, to provide legal advice and representation on special education issues to court-involved students with disabilities and students who have experienced personal or community violence.
JOB SUMMARY
The attorney will participate in all aspects of the Clinic’s work, including:
- providing brief written and telephone advice
- oral and written advocacy
- training/outreach to court personnel and community agencies on special education law
- direct representation at IEP meetings, mediations, and expulsion hearings
- direct representation in due process hearings or federal court
- Systemic litigation and advocacy
This position reports to the Vice President of the Special Education Clinic. Training will be provided on special education law, client interviewing, and our internal case management system. Opportunities will be provided to work with pro bono attorneys, law student interns, and other professional development opportunities.
Our goal is to empower parents and families to be advocates while ensuring the rights of students with disabilities.
REQUIREMENTS AND PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
A law degree and license (new graduates may apply even though they are not yet licensed; applicants barred in other states may apply if their UBE score qualifies them to be barred in IL or they are willing to take the bar exam)
- Ability to travel
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Willingness to work scheduled evenings and weekends when requested by community partners
- Willingness to hold office hours at community partner offices throughout Cook County
- Occasional travel statewide (requiring overnight stays) and frequent travel throughout Cook County
- Commitment to civil rights.
- Personal or professional experience with people with disabilities, low-income communities, or court-involved students preferred
- Oral and written Spanish language fluency is preferred.
- This position is located in Chicago.
Equip for Equality encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds and identities to apply for this position.
APPLICATION DEADLINE, HOW TO APPLY, COMPENSATION, AND BENEFITS
Please submit your resume and cover letter as soon as possible, as there is an immediate opening. Include salary expectations in the cover letter. Salary is commensurate with experience, and EFE offers excellent benefits.
Click the link to apply.
Staff Attorney – Special Education Clinic #1449409
Do you need a reasonable accommodation for our application process?
Equip for Equality is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the application process, please contact Human Resources at lajune@equipforequality.org, and let her know the nature of your request and your contact information. Disability related information that is disclosed via the application process will be kept confidential.
STAFF ATTORNEY – SPECIAL EDUCATION CLINIC
The Staff Attorney position is within the Special Education Clinic. The Special Education Clinic provides services to students of all disabilities and their families in securing vital special educational placements, support, and services.
JOB SUMMARY
The attorney will participate in all aspects of the Clinic’s work, including:
- Provide brief written and telephone advice
- oral and written advocacy
- direct representation at IEP meetings, mediations, and expulsion hearings
- representation in due process hearings or federal court
- Systemic litigation and advocacy
This position reports to the Vice President of the Special Education Clinic. Training will be provided on special education law, client interviewing, and our internal case management system. Opportunities will be provided to work with pro bono attorneys, law student interns, and other professional development opportunities.
Our goal is to empower parents and families to be advocates while ensuring the rights of students with disabilities.
REQUIREMENTS AND PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
- A law degree and license (new graduates may apply even though they are not yet licensed; applicants barred in other states may apply if their UBE score qualifies them to be barred in IL or they are willing to take the bar exam)
- Ability to travel
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Experience with and/or commitment to working with low-income and diverse client populations
- Travel is required within the nearby geographic area.
- Commitment to civil rights.
- Personal or professional experience with people with disabilities.
- This position is located in Chicago.
Equip for Equality encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds and identities to apply for this position.
APPLICATION DEADLINE, HOW TO APPLY, COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Please submit your resume and cover letter as soon as possible, as there is an immediate opening. Include salary expectations in the cover letter. Salary is commensurate with experience, and EFE offers excellent benefits.
Click link to apply.
Staff Attorney – Special Education Clinic
Do you need a reasonable accommodation for our application process?
Equip for Equality is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the application process, please contact Human Resources at lajune@equipforequality.org, and let her know the nature of your request and your contact information. Disability related information that is disclosed via the application process will be kept confidential.
Learn more about EFE at https://www.equipforequality.org/
Equip for Equality is an Equal Opportunity Employer
We have volunteer opportunities!
Did you know you can volunteer or have an unpaid internship with EFE? Students and professionals can volunteer by providing general office help or through internships with our technology department, human resources and other areas of our state-wide non-profit organization. (If you’re an attorney, law student or law school graduate, please read about our Pro Bono Attorney and Law Student Initiative which offers an opportunity to help with our disability rights cases and obtain hands-on legal advocacy experience. You can also learn about Public Interest career opportunities at Illinois Legal Aid OnLine.) For information about our volunteer and unpaid internship opportunities for non-attorneys, please contact LaJune Davis-Wiley (see contact information below).
Learn about our Voting Access Chicago project and help us make Chicago’s polling places ADA accessible for people with disabilities and older adults. For volunteer opportunities, please contact Bebe Novich.
Organizational Background
For nearly 35 years, Equip for Equality has been advancing the human and civil rights of people with disabilities across Illinois. Among our many accomplishments, Equip for Equality has made Chicago public transportation more accessible, helped tens of thousands of people with disabilities move from institutions into the community, increased inclusive education and educational outcomes for students with disabilities, and enhanced safety and quality of care in a variety of settings. We have offices throughout Illinois.
Equip for Equality has three Programs: the Civil Rights Team, the Special Education Clinic, and the Abuse Investigation Unit. EFE has a dedicated staff of 59 attorneys, social workers, and administrative staff working every day to advance our mission. As we work to improve society’s inclusion of individuals with disabilities, we also strive to be an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming workplace.
Background Checks
Because Equip for Equality is a community-serving organization and safety is of the utmost importance, Equip for Equality requires a background check for employees and others who volunteer or perform services for us depending on the role. The background check is run for employees once a conditional offer of employment has been extended. Background checks are conducted in accordance with all applicable laws, EFE’s policy, and paid for by EFE. A disclosed record may not automatically disqualify a candidate from employment.
We are an equal opportunity employer.
We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to disability, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. View the Department of Labor’s “EEO is The Law” poster for more information about how employers must comply with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws.
Do you need a reasonable accommodation for our application process?
Equip for Equality is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the application process, please see the Contact Person below to let them know the nature of your request and your contact information. Disability related information disclosed via the application process will be kept confidential.
LaJune Davis-Wiley, Senior Director of Human Resources
Equip for Equality
20 N. Michigan, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: 312-895-7333
Fax: 312-541-2378
- Learn about our Pro Bono Attorney and Law Student Initiative, which provides volunteer opportunities for attorneys, law students and law school graduates.
- Read about some of our case work involving employment discrimination, guardianship, abuse and neglect or special education.
- Sign up for our newsletter.
Last updated: January 10, 2023