Job Description

Title: Students' Attorney
Department: Dean of Students
Campus Location: Normal, IL

Job Summary

The Students' Attorney provides legal consultation, guidance, and referrals on issues affecting Illinois State University students, including lease reviews, landlord-tenant matters, criminal and traffic law, and civil or family law. The position supervises a paralegal and student interns and serves as a liaison to support constructive communication between students and local property managers. The Students' Attorney also participates as a member of the Dean of Students Office Critical Incident Response Team.

Candidates who are licensed to practice law in another U.S. jurisdiction but are not yet admitted to the Illinois Bar may be considered. A selected candidate who is not licensed in Illinois must become admitted to the Illinois Bar within 3-6 months of employment. Until Illinois licensure is obtained, the employee will serve in an interim capacity with duties structured to avoid the unauthorized practice of law and will not independently provide legal advice or representation to students.

Additional Information

Interim Responsibilities Prior to Illinois Bar Admission
If the selected candidate is not admitted to the Illinois Bar at the time of hire, the Dean of Students Office will establish an interim assignment until Illinois licensure is obtained, and the candidate will be in a non-continuous status until admitted to the Illinois Bar. During this period, the employee may perform duties that do not require Illinois attorney licensure, including but not limited to:
• Develop and update program procedures, resource guides, referral protocols, website content, intake processes, assessment practices, and case-management systems.
• Coordinate the administrative and logistical aspects of educational programming, workshops, clinics, outreach initiatives, and other Students’ Attorney program activities.
• Build and maintain relationships with licensed legal-service providers, community organizations, local property managers, neighborhood associations, and other campus and community partners.
• Develop and strengthen referral networks with licensed attorneys, legal aid organizations, and other appropriate legal and community resources.
• Supervise and coordinate appropriate administrative and programmatic work of the paralegal, student interns, and legal assistants.
• Assist with program administration, assessment, strategic planning, data collection, and development of the Students’ Attorney program.
• Review and improve office procedures, referral protocols, record-keeping practices, and case-management systems in preparation for providing full Students’ Attorney services.
• Conduct legal and policy research for internal program-development and administrative purposes, provided the research does not involve advising students or applying legal analysis to individual student circumstances.
• Support Dean of Students Office programs, care and support functions, and the Critical Incident Response Team in a non-attorney capacity.
• Complete appropriate professional development, orientation, relationship-building, and other preparatory activities necessary to assume the full responsibilities of the Students’ Attorney upon admission to the Illinois Bar.

Interim practice limitation: Until admitted to the Illinois Bar, the employee will not provide legal advice, legal opinions, legal representation, or legal information directly to students; analyze or assess individual student legal matters; establish an attorney-client relationship on behalf of the program; deliver student-facing legal education that could reasonably be interpreted as legal advice; or perform other duties requiring authorization to practice law in Illinois. Students seeking legal assistance during the interim period will be referred through established Dean of Students Office procedures to appropriately licensed attorneys or legal-service providers.

Salary Rate / Pay Rate

$95,000 - $110,000, annually

Required Qualifications

1. Professional degree in Law (JD or equivalent professional law degree) from an accredited law school.
2. Admission and good standing in the bar of at least one U.S. state or jurisdiction at the time of application or employment.
3. If not admitted to the Illinois Bar at the time of hire, ability to obtain admission to the Illinois Bar within 3-6 months of employment as a condition of continued employment in the Students' Attorney role.
4. Knowledge of trial practice, criminal law, landlord/tenant law, consumer law, civil procedure and traffic law.
5. Excellent interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work effectively with diverse student populations.
6. Demonstrated knowledge of and adherence to professional legal ethics, confidentiality standards, and attorney-client privilege.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Current admission to the Illinois Bar.
Knowledge and competency with Microsoft Office, Zoom, and/or other teleconferencing software.
2. Experience using case management systems, virtual consultation platforms, and digital record-keeping tools.
3. Mediation certification.
4. Experience working with college students, young adults, or in a legal aid/public interest setting.

Work Hours

Core hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30 pm, with occasional nights/weekends required.

Functional Expectations

Must be able to complete the following with or without a reasonable accommodation:
1. Remain at a workstation for extended periods
2. Move about in various locations on and off campus as needed to complete day-to-day work
3. Effectively communicate on a daily basis

Proposed Starting Date

10/1/2026

Required Applicant Documents

Resume/C.V.
Cover Letter
Reference List (specifically, the names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of at least three professional references)

Please Note: These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"

Contact Information for Applicants

Donald Reed
dereed@illinoisstate.edu

Important Information for Applicants

Sponsorship: Applicants for this position must be currently legally authorized to work for Illinois State University in the United States. Illinois State University will not sponsor or take over the sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity. Illinois State University is not a qualifying employer for the STEM OPT benefit: only the 12-month OPT may be used to work at Illinois State University.

All work under this appointment is required to be performed from within the State of Illinois. Illinois State University does not authorize out-of-state work.   This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309) 438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.

If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.