Inspector General Investigating Attorney

Position Overview

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is seeking an organized professional and results oriented individual to serve as Office of Inspector General Investigations Attorney. Under general direction this position will perform technical and legal work for the Office of the Inspector General relating to confidential investigations. The position will conduct specialized sensitive and confidential field investigations to determine statutory and administrative compliance relating to child deaths serious injuries and complaints that implicate misconduct of Department or private agency staff. The position will apply legal methods and procedures with reference to the legal implications involved. This position will analyze evidence discovered under applicable federal and state statutes and rules to determine whether criminal prosecution disciplinary or licensure action is warranted. In addition the position will conduct technical legal research and data analysis preparing detailed reports of findings. This position provides a great opportunity for someone who has a strong commitment to investigating allegations of misconduct and working to provide resolution of such cases. The ideal candidate for this position will have excellent organizational skills and strong leadership skills. DCFS offers a competitive compensation plan excellent benefits and a pension program. We invite you to join our innovative team to help make a positive difference in the lives of the children and families of Illinois.

Essential Functions

• Performs technical and legal work of a general nature for the Office of the Inspector General conducts specialized field investigations to determine statutory compliance relating to child death and serious injuries and complaints that implicate misconduct of Department or private agency staff applies legal methods and procedures with reference to the legal implications involved drives to field locations to perform on site investigations conducts investigations in a manner that will preserve evidence for possible criminal prosecution analyzes evidence discovered under applicable federal and state statutes and rules to determine whether criminal prosecution disciplinary or licensure action is warranted.
• Provides professional legal assistance to the OIG Chief Legal Counsel by investigating and prosecuting complaints regarding Child Welfare Employee Licenses CWEL provides professional 7 assistance by reviewing investigative referrals to and from the Office of Inspector General serves as Department legal representative in administrative CWEL proceedings drafts charges serves on the Emergency Licensure Review Team prepares and handles cases for prosecution.
• Plans evaluates develops and validates programs training standards policies methods techniques and procedures to implement OIG recommendations and increase the professionalism of Department and private agency operations serves as liaison to statewide advisory panels.
• Conducts technical research relating to work problems encountered and prepares detailed reports of findings.
• Undertakes important detail work such as drafting rules and regulations interpretations and summaries of various provisions of pertinent statutes drafts substantive procedural amendments to the statutes subject to the approval of supervising administrators and the Attorney General.
• Reviews and reports on all legal processes against an administrative unit including petitions notices and orders in litigation monitors grievance and arbitration procedures provides technical advice to Inspector General concerning recommendations of administrative action.
• Translates and interprets both orally and in writing for Spanish speaking clients regarding services available legal issues and the proper completion of forms.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires graduation from a recognized law school.
• Requires possession of a valid license to practice law in Illinois.
• Requires ability to speak and write Spanish at a colloquial skill level.

Preferred Qualifications

• 2 years of experience in a public or business organization related to child welfare
• 2 years of experience in a public or business organization applying working knowledge of the common law and provisions of state and federal laws relating to administrative and regulatory functions
• 2 years of experience in a public or business organization applying working knowledge of judicial and quasijudicial procedures and rules of evidence
• 2 years of experience in a public or business organization applying skill and ability in analyzing appraising and organizing facts evidence and precedents and in presenting such material involving a moderately complex problem in clear and logical form in written media as briefs memoranda summarizations research reports or regulations
• 2 years of experience in a public or business organization applying the ability to use expediently all primary and secondary legal source materials to analyze all legal documents and instruments and to prepare conduct and report formal or informal administrative hearings
• 2 years of experience in a public or business organization applying working knowledge of the principles of administration and management including organization controls and techniques used in dealing with management and procedural problems

Conditions of Employment

1. Requires the ability to pass a background check
2. Requires possession of a valid drivers license and ability to travel
3. All conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About The Agency

DCFS is deeply committed to the welfare and protection of children. Our goal is to protect children by strengthening and supporting families. In every effort from receiving hotline calls to reaching family reunification or foster care and adoption children and families are our focus. The Division of Budget and Finance plays a supporting role in the Departments operations by working to ensure the agencys financial stability and implementation of sound budgetary practices.