Associate Attorney – Administrative Hearings & Employment Law

Workplace Law Partners, P.C. | Chicago, Illinois | Remote/Hybrid

Workplace Law Partners, P.C., a plaintiff-side employment law firm based in downtown Chicago, is seeking an attorney to represent employees in administrative agency hearings, with opportunities to expand into employment litigation.

This is an excellent opportunity for a newly licensed attorney or recent law school graduate looking to gain substantial, hands-on litigation experience early in their career. No prior experience with unemployment hearings or employment law is necessary. We will provide all the training you need.

What You'll Do

Your primary responsibility will be representing employees in unemployment insurance hearings before the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). These hearings generally take place by telephone and provide an opportunity to develop real litigation skills, including:

• Appearing regularly before administrative law judges.
• Examining and cross-examining witnesses.
• Presenting evidence and making legal arguments.
• Preparing clients for hearings and developing case strategies.
• Advocating for employees who have been denied unemployment benefits.

Unlike many entry-level attorney positions, where new lawyers spend years conducting research and reviewing documents, this position offers the opportunity to conduct actual hearings on a nearly daily basis.

As you gain experience, you will also have opportunities to work on a broader range of employment law matters, including discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower, wrongful termination, wage and hour, and other workplace claims.

Who We're Looking For

We are looking for someone who:

• Is licensed to practice law in Illinois or is eligible for admission.
• Thinks quickly on their feet and enjoys oral advocacy.
• Has strong interpersonal skills and can establish a good rapport with clients, witnesses, and judges.
• Is compassionate and genuinely interested in helping employees protect their rights.
• Is organized, dependable, and comfortable independently managing hearings and client matters.
• Is eager to learn and develop as a litigator.

Prior litigation experience is welcome but absolutely not required. We are more interested in finding someone who is bright, personable, motivated, and eager to advocate for people.

Remote Work and Flexibility

This position can be performed almost entirely remotely because most IDES hearings are conducted by telephone. Our office is located in downtown Chicago, and while we enjoy seeing our attorneys in person and encourage collaboration, we offer substantial flexibility to work from home.

Why Join Us?

At Workplace Law Partners, we represent employees, not employers. Our practice is devoted to helping individuals stand up for their rights in the workplace.

This position offers something relatively unusual for a new attorney: the chance to gain meaningful courtroom-style advocacy experience almost immediately. You will regularly appear before administrative law judges, question witnesses, evaluate evidence, and make arguments on behalf of real clients.

You will also have the opportunity to learn from experienced employment litigators and, if interested, develop a broader practice handling employment discrimination, whistleblower retaliation, wage claims, and other employment litigation.

If you enjoy helping people, think well on your feet, and want to become a skilled litigator, we would love to hear from you.

To apply, please submit your resume and a brief explanation of your interest in the position to khilton@fishlawfirm.com