Greater Chicago Area
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Provide analyses and counsel on legal, policy, and compliance issues to include: proposed new products, protecting intellectual property, mergers & acquisitions, financial offerings, financial structuring, compliance issues for company, nondisclosure agreements, outsourcing agreements and business strategic planning. Anticipate and guard against potential legal risks that may impact the company. Develop and recommend company policies and positions on legal issues. Write and administer complex vendor, client, and employment contracts.
Responsible for the coordination of all operations, regulatory functions, and management of Illinois consumer protection agency. Managed over 840 employees and a $110 million budget, and licensed and regulated over 1.2 million licensees in Illinois, including all banking, insurance and healthcare professionals, resulting in over $550 million in revenues for the state of Illinois. Streamlined functions, while at the same time finding new and innovative programs to better protect consumers and make Illinois a more business-friendly state. Eliminated two-tier credential system for CPAs to protect Illinois consumers and CPAs.
Responsible for day-to-day operations of the agency, which included, but was not limited to overseeing all Human Resources, Fiscal, IT, Legislative Affairs, and General Counsel functions for the 840-person agency. Supervised the consolidation of four State agencies focusing on retaining the best practices of each legacy agency in creating the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Streamlined licensing and enforcement functions, saving the State of Illinois $9 million a year by reducing administrative costs, while improving services to the 1.2 million professionals and businesses the agency regulates.
Responsible for conducting legal and policy analyses of all financial and law enforcement related legislation for the Governor's Office. Served as Department’s and Governor’s liaison to the Illinois General Assembly and Governor’s liaison for Latino affairs. Initiated and developed the Governor’s Latino anti-drop-out initiative known as the GRADS program.
Narcotics Prosecutions Bureau, August 2001 – February 2003 Responsible for oversight and prosecution of over 500 narcotic related felonies. Misdemeanor Traffic Division, December 2000 – August 2001 Actively involved in all trial aspects including, but not limited to, voir dire, witness selection and examination, and opening and closing arguments, for over 700 misdemeanor criminal cases. Appeals Division , October 2000 – December 2000 Successfully argued before the Illinois Appellate Court.