Description

Legislative Counsel

The Uniform Law Commission (ULC), a nonprofit organization representing state governments, seeks a motivated, articulate, and well-organized attorney to join its legislative staff in Chicago. 

About the ULC

Since 1892, the ULC has drafted and sought enactment of nonpartisan state legislation in areas of the law for which uniformity among states is desirable. Drafting meetings are open to any interested person who registers to attend; draft laws are posted for public comment and often revised based on the input received. Final uniform acts are published and made available to state legislatures for enactment.  

ULC products include the Uniform Commercial Code, the Uniform Probate Code, the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, and over a hundred other uniform and model laws in areas including commercial law, property law, family law, health law, civil procedure, criminal justice, trust and estate law, privacy and technology, and the law of business organizations.

Job Description

The mission of the Legislative Counsel is to advocate for enactment of uniform laws in the legislatures of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This work involves organizing coalitions of local advocates, testifying on uniform acts before legislative committees, assisting commissioners in their enactment efforts, answering substantive questions about law and policy, writing summaries and talking points on uniform acts, identifying potential bill sponsors for uniform acts, conducting legal analyses comparing existing state laws with proposed uniform acts, tracking bills as they progress through the legislative process, and negotiating potential bill amendments. The job may also involve researching and writing memos about areas of law in which the ULC may choose to launch new projects, assisting ULC committees during the drafting and finalization of new acts, general stakeholder outreach, and assisting with in-house legal tasks.

ULC Legislative Counsel represent the ULC at legislative hearings and in meetings with external stakeholders. They liaise with other organizations that have an interest in various uniform acts and monitor legal developments in the issue areas to which they are assigned. Legislative Counsel work closely with state legislators and their staff to strategize and build support for enactment of uniform laws.

The ULC office is in downtown Chicago. Following a training period, the Legislative Counsel will have flexibility to work a hybrid schedule. The position requires a willingness to travel, particularly during prime state legislative session months (January-May). Attendance is also required at the ULC’s seven-day annual meeting each summer and at occasional conferences and weekend meetings.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for a beginning to mid-range Legislative Counsel is $92,000-$108,000 based on relevant experience. The ULC offers a competitive benefits package including: a 35-hour work week; flexible-time accrual;  flex-schedules; flexibility to work from home on some days; health, disability, life, vision, and dental insurance; a flexible benefit plan that provides full-time employees a method of paying premiums and obtaining reimbursement of health-care, dependent-care, transit and parking expenses on a pre-tax salary reduction basis;  twelve weeks of parental leave (after 12-months of full-time work for ULC); twelve-and-a-half paid holidays and two paid personal leave days annually; three weeks of paid vacation time annually; six days of sick leave annually; and a retirement plan with employer contributions between 3% and 10% of salary depending on tenure. 

Application Procedures

The deadline for applications is August 21, 2026. Please send a cover letter, résumé, and legal writing sample to [email protected] and include “Legislative Counsel” in the subject line.  An equal opportunity employer, the ULC welcomes and encourages diversity in our workforce.

Requirements

Desired Skills and Experience

The Legislative Counsel position requires: 

• The ability to communicate complex legal information quickly and clearly, both orally and in writing, especially to non-lawyers;
• Compelling presentation and advocacy skills;
• The ability to build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, such as interest groups, government officials, and other government entities;
• Excellent legal research and writing background;
• Ability to work with and facilitate discussions between individuals with diverse or conflicting beliefs or positions;
• Creativity, professionalism, and the ability to adjust to changing legislative and legal demands;
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously;
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership of and solve problems, to assess issues expeditiously, and to provide sound legal advice;
• A J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school;
• Admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; and
• A minimum of 2-3 years of experience in law practice, government, or government relations.  

Legislative or policy experience at the state level is preferred. Experience in one of the areas of law in which the ULC has drafted a substantial number of uniform acts may be helpful.