Assistant States Attorney, Juvenile Justice - Child Protection Division

Assistant State’s Attorney, Juvenile Justice - Child Protection Division

Job Title: Assistant State’s Attorney, Child Protection Division

Reports to: The Supervisor of the Child Protection Division

Division/Unit: Child Protection

Salary: $90,677-$159,936. Salary ranges are provided by law; however, individual compensation is based on various factors unique to each candidate, including skill set, years and quality of experience. Any salary offered is determined by the Chief of Staff and is non‑negotiable.

Note: The Cook County State's Attorney's Office does not sponsor H1‑B work visa petitions.

General Description:

The primary responsibility of an Assistant State’s Attorney assigned to the Child Protection Division is the management of a daily court call and the handling of all aspects of a caseload of child protection matters. That prosecution includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Review DCFS and social service agency documentation, medical, psychiatric, school and law enforcement records having to do with child abuse and neglect petitions, interview and prepare witnesses and work up child protection cases for trials and corollary hearings.
• Regular daily litigation including motion practice, adjudication and termination of parental rights trials and permanency hearings in all phases of child protection proceedings.
• Interact regularly in and outside of court with victims, DCFS investigators, social workers, foster care caseworkers, judges, law enforcement, family members, foster parents, social service agency providers and clinicians, community representatives, medical professionals and mental health professionals regarding cases in the Child Protection Division to achieve the best outcomes for children and families.
• This is a full-time bargaining unit exempt position.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Applicants must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited institution.
• Prior litigation (clerkship/internship experience will be considered) including trial work and legal writing and/or work in the child welfare social work field.
• A strong interest in child protection and or family law.
• An understanding of, and a commitment to, family reunification principles.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior child protection trial experience is a plus but not required.

Working Environment: Each Child Protection Division ASA is responsible for the daily operations of a child protection court call. Each ASA will collaborate with his or her supervisor, the Division chief, the Juvenile Justice Bureau chief, fellow ASAs, DCFS personnel, juvenile courthouse partners, and community service providers regularly. Each ASA shall report directly to the Child Protection Supervisor.

The Child Protection Division Assistant State’s Attorney shall be an effective advocate and emissary of the mission, vision, and values of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Physical Requirements: Light work. Light work involves lifting no more than 20 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 10 pounds. Even though the weight lifted may be very little, a job is in this category when it requires a good deal of walking or standing, or when it involves sitting most of the time with some pushing and pulling of arm or leg controls.

To be considered capable of performing a full or wide range of light work, you must have the ability to do substantially all these activities. If someone can do light work, we determine that he or she can also do sedentary work, unless there are additional limiting factors such as loss of fine dexterity or inability to sit for long periods of time.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office is an equal opportunity employer, which seeks to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The CCSAO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Upon request, the CCSAO will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified…