Counsel Labor Relations

Senior Counsel, Labor Relations at Durham School Services

Lisle, IL | Hybrid Work Eligible | Full-Time

Are you a seasoned management-side labor relations attorney ready to make a strategic impact in a mission-driven organization? We’re hiring a Senior Counsel, Labor Relations to help shape and lead labor relations strategy across our nationwide operations.

As a key member of our Legal & Labor Relations team, you’ll work closely with leadership to manage collective bargaining, labor disputes, and compliance in a dynamic, unionized environment.

• Lead and support collective bargaining negotiations across multiple regions.
• Advise on contract interpretation, grievance handling, and labor law compliance.
• Represent the company in arbitrations, mediations, and proceedings before the NLRB and other agencies.
• Partner with Operations and HR to align labor strategy with business goals.
• Stay ahead of regulatory changes and provide proactive legal guidance.

Pay range for this position is $170,000-$190,000 annual salary.

• J.D. and admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 7+ years of labor law experience, ideally in transportation, logistics, or public sector.
• Strong knowledge of NLRA, FMLA, ADA, and other employment statutes.
• Proven success in union negotiations and dispute resolution.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and analytical skills.
• Willingness to travel as needed.

• Experience with Teamsters, ATU, or UFCW bargaining units.
• Prior in-house counsel experience in a multi-site, unionized organization.
• Spanish proficiency is a plus.

We’re a leader in student transportation, committed to safety, service, and community. You’ll join a collaborative legal team and help shape the future of labor relations in a vital industry.

Summit School Services companies share a strong commitment to provide the highest level of transportation safety, quality transportation, outstanding customer service and positive employee relations.

Our corporate headquarters, located in Warrenville, Illinois, houses the administrative and corporate support functions for the organization. Our 250+ local customer service centers (CSCs) are supported by regional operations teams located throughout North America.

Summit School Services has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with its policies and values, including sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. Summit School Services is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children and passengers.

We offer medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance coverage, holiday pay, and PTO accrual. Additionally, employees are able to enroll in a retirement savings plan.

At Summit School Services our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Summit School Services LLC’s independent subsidiaries and affiliates are an equal employment opportunity (EEO) employer.

The pay rate range, along with most all of the other terms and conditions of employment, vary between different sites, geographical markets, customer/ contractual terms and positions.