Lawyer, Labor, Employment and Litigation

Position Type:

Administration and Professionals

Date Posted:

2026-08-06

Location:Administration or As Assigned

ABOUT CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) is Ohio's third-largest public school system, serving more than 35,000 students.

 CMSD strives to ensure that every child receives a high-quality education, regardless of the provider. To that end, CMSD lets families choose which District schools their children attend, with options that include STEM, the arts, single-gender education, International Baccalaureate, Montessori, and early college.

 Our schools have autonomy over human and financial resources in exchange for accountability for performance. The principal has primary responsibility and accountability for establishing their school as a high-quality, high-expectation academic center focusing on personalized instruction, professional support for teachers, and school-wide practices that lead to measurable results.

 CMSD ensures that students have access to technology and training to prepare them for the future. The District provides a free laptop or tablet for every student and connects every family that needs internet access. Graduating seniors leave commencement with not only a diploma but also a laptop.

 In our pursuit of a more fair, just, and good system of education, we strive to ensure that all of  our learners, both scholars and educators, to be challenged with academically and intellectually complex tasks that are worthy of their efforts and provide them opportunities to demonstrate their best work.

BUILDING BRIGHTER FUTURES

The Cleveland Board of Education adopted the Building Brighter Futures (BBF) initiative on December 9, 2025. Building Brighter Futures is a strategic and data-driven plan shaped by more than a year of community engagement, information analysis, and thoughtful deliberation. The goal of this plan is to strengthen enrollment and ensure scholars attend a newer school building that offers more educational opportunities, including algebra in the eighth grade, more sports and extracurricular activities, and college credits and college and career pathways in high school. BBF is ensuring academic excellence so every CMSD scholar can thrive.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

 

Location: Administration or As Assigned
Reports to: Chief Legal Counsel
FLSA Status: Exempt
Salary Band:12
Compensation: $ 121,410.00 - $ 157,833.00

Under the direction of the Chief of Staff, this attorney is directly responsible for conducting litigation, trials, and appeals in the Office of Legal Services for the District with minimal supervision. The Office of Legal Services is designed to provide support and experience in collective bargaining, board policy development, discrimination claims, student discipline, special education, District-sponsored community schools, public records/sunshine laws, and more. The professional duties of the Lawyer, Labor, Employment, and Litigation position include researching and analyzing facts and law, litigation motions and pleadings, discovery, settlement negotiations, presenting evidence and jury arguments, and appellate processes. This attorney advises clients and litigates legal issues arising from disputes involving employment matters, personnel disciplinary actions, premises liability claims, civil rights actions, intentional torts actions and other litigations matters involving the District. This position will represent the District before various courts, administrative agencies, and arbitrators.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES:

• Provide timely and professional legal advice to a variety of internal stakeholders regarding labor, employment, and litigation matters
• Represent the District through all phases of labor and employment arbitration, including researching and analyzing facts and law, conducting settlement negotiations, advising administration, preparing witnesses, engaging in discovery, appearing at hearings and arbitrations, presenting evidence, an drafting briefs
• Represent the District through Collective Bargaining processes, including engaging in direct negotiations with partner labor unions, researching and drafting proposals, and developing MOUs with labor partners
• Represent the District through all phases of general litigation, including researching and analyzing facts and law, drafting responses, preparing witnesses, engaging in discovery, appearing at hearings, conducting settlement negotiations, presenting evidence, and appellate processes
• Support all facets of internal investigations related to civil rights matters, including Title IX investigations, discrimination investigations, and Section 504 complaints.
• Represent the District in administrative hearings before the OCRC, EEOC, and USDOE
• Represent the District in matters involving employee disciplinary actions
• Represent the District in general civil litigation matters
• Review periodically the policies and procedures manual of the District to determine compliance with state and federal law and regulations
• Interacts with labor unions, parents, outside agencies, business partners, and community to enhance understanding of District initiatives and priorities and to further the goals and objectives of the District
• Provide legal and strategic counsel to District management relating to current and potential employment and general civil litigation issues
• Proactively identify potential problems relating to current or potential issues within scope of service and devise creative solutions that strike an effective balance between cost and return, including both short-term and long-term business and legal considerations
• Provide accurate and timely reporting to the District’s Chief Legal Counsel and other appropriate District administrators
• Lead efforts and initiatives to ensure District compliance with all labor, employment, and civil rights-related local, state, and federal guidelines and regulations, working collaboratively with multiple other departments as needed
• Participate in special projects and serves on committees as needed
• Perform all other related duties as assigned

NOTE:  The above-stated duties are intended to outline those functions typically performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This description of duties is not intended to be all-inclusive or to limit the discretionary authority of management to assign other tasks of a similar nature or level of responsibility.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Current member in good standing of Ohio Bar or membership within three months of hiring
• At least 5 years legal experience concentrated in the areas of labor and employment
• Preferred: Demonstrated related experience in an education or public-sector field
• Demonstrated success in high stakes, high pressure environment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong work ethic, attention to detail and strong interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated leadership ability to work collaboratively with peers
• Self-motivated and able to multi-task with minimal supervision
• High moral character and ethical standards

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The characteristics listed below are representative of the work environment typically encountered by an individual while performing the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties. 

• Expected moving, walking, and standing consistent with an office environment and occasionally lifting up to 10 pounds
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms
• The employee is frequently required to talk and/or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to a normal office environment
• Local travel may be required for training/meetings

NOTE:  The above-stated duties are intended to outline those functions typically performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This description of duties is not intended to be all-inclusive or to limit the discretionary authority of management to assign other tasks of a similar nature or level of responsibility.

Education

To Apply

EEO Statement

We believe that equity and inclusion at CMSD is an essential call to action, a catalyst to ensure value and appreciation among all our employees, so we may be fair and welcoming now and in the future.  CMSD provides equal opportunities for employment, retention and advancement of all personnel by administering all terms and conditions of employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, sex, disability or genetic information, age, citizenship status, military status, sexual orientation or expression, socio-economic status, title, other dimensions of identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.