Mid-Level Labor and Employment Associate

Labor & Employment Associate | Chicago

We are working with several law firms in Chicago that are looking to add Labor & Employment Associates to their practices.

These opportunities are primarily management-side and offer a mix of employment litigation and day-to-day counseling work for employers across a range of industries.

Experience

Ideally 3 to 6 years of Labor & Employment experience, although there may be flexibility depending on the candidate's background.

Candidates should have experience in some combination of:

• Management-side employment litigation
• Employment counseling and compliance
• Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims
• Wrongful termination matters
• Wage and hour disputes
• Class and collective actions
• Restrictive covenants and trade secret matters
• EEOC and other administrative agency charges
• Workplace investigations
• Employee discipline and terminations
• Leaves of absence and accommodations
• Employment policies and handbooks
• Employment agreements and separation agreements

Experience with traditional labor matters, including collective bargaining, grievances, union issues, and unfair labor practice proceedings, is a plus but is not required for every opportunity.

Litigation Responsibilities

Depending on the firm and seniority level, associates may:

• Defend employers in state and federal court
• Handle matters before the EEOC, DOL, NLRB, and state or local agencies
• Draft pleadings, motions, briefs, and position statements
• Manage written discovery and document production
• Take and defend depositions
• Interview witnesses and assist with workplace investigations
• Participate in mediations, arbitrations, and settlement negotiations
• Assist with or take responsibility for trial preparation
• Manage matters with increasing independence and direct client contact

Counseling Responsibilities

Associates may also advise employers on:

• Hiring and termination decisions
• Employee discipline and performance issues
• Disability accommodations and the interactive process
• FMLA and other leave issues
• Wage and hour compliance
• Workplace policies and employee handbooks
• Harassment and discrimination complaints
• Internal workplace investigations
• Reductions in force and workforce restructuring
• Restrictive covenants and employee mobility
• Employment and separation agreements
• Compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws

Qualifications

• Approximately 3 to 6 years of Labor & Employment experience
• Management-side experience preferred
• Employment litigation and/or counseling experience
• Strong legal research and writing skills
• Experience drafting substantive motions and other litigation documents
• Ability to communicate directly with clients and provide practical employment advice
• Strong case and matter management skills
• J.D. from an accredited law school
• Illinois Bar admission or ability to become admitted

The Opportunities

The firms we are working with offer different combinations of:

• Employment litigation and counseling work
• Direct client exposure
• Greater responsibility over matters
• Wage and hour and class action experience
• Workplace investigations
• Traditional labor exposure
• Partnership-track opportunities
• Competitive compensation
• Hybrid flexibility
• Different billable-hour expectations and firm cultures

Because we are working across several Labor & Employment practices in Chicago, we can discuss which opportunities best align with your litigation experience, counseling background, compensation expectations, billable-hour preferences, and long-term career goals.