The General Law Bureau provides legal defense to the State, its officers, agencies and employees in civil trial litigation matters as well as prosecuting criminal and civil qui tam cases in both state and federal courts.
The Attorney General has the common law power to assist County State’s Attorneys with prosecutions when necessary in the public interest, such as investigations of public corruption schemes like vendor and grant fraud.
About the Office of the Attorney General
The Illinois Office of Attorney General provides legal representation to its state. Their mission is to safeguard public interest and they coordinate with attorneys specializing in specific areas of law to accomplish this objective. Furthermore, they collaborate with other state attorneys general on measures with national or statewide ramifications.
The Office is engaged in civil and criminal litigation as well as policy matters such as protecting the natural environment, combating consumer fraud, and stopping illegal drug sales. Furthermore, this office advocates on behalf of individuals in protected classes while upholding citizens’ rights.
The Attorney General also leads coalitions of other states in an effort to defend access to quality healthcare, support just immigration policies and reduce gun violence. Their efforts towards school safety resulted in the groundbreaking Student Safety Initiative as well as guidance for colleges and universities regarding compliance with civil rights laws when administering discipline measures. They partner with federal agencies in an attempt to stop mass shootings at schools or places of worship as well as investigate fraud or corruption cases and take back crime guns off the street.
The Office of the Attorney General’s Antitrust Bureau
The Attorney General’s office prosecutes an array of crimes, such as public corruption (developed from common law powers to investigate and prosecute official misconduct by State, county, and city officials and employees), fraud schemes and bribery. Additionally, their civil rights work includes Title IX investigations (which aid students reporting sexual assault), fair lending settlements that exceed $2 Million USD per case as well as other civil rights issues.
The Office of the Attorney General’s Antitrust Bureau conducts commercial and industrial antitrust investigations and litigation that aim to safeguard consumers, businesses and governments alike by ensuring markets function efficiently and economically. The Antitrust Division leads and participates in high-profile antitrust cases, such as In re Suboxone Antitrust Litigation (against product-hopping by generic pharmaceutical manufacturers); FTC v. Syngenta Crop Protection AG et al (conspiracies to fix prices in the pesticide industry); as well as state court prosecutions such as State v. Elite Staffing (wage fixing and no poach agreements in temporary staffing industry). Furthermore, The Office prosecutes numerous white collar criminal cases.
The Office of the Attorney General’s Financial Crimes Prosecution Unit
The Office of the Attorney General represents the United States in criminal and civil litigation in which it is involved, handling cases in all 102 counties of Illinois in 2022. Additionally, their Criminal Prosecutions/Trials Assistance Bureau handles cases when conflict of interests prevent a State’s Attorney from prosecuting a case or its complexity necessitates additional staff assistance; additionally this Bureau handles sexually violent persons (SVP) cases across Illinois.
From its inception, the General Assembly granted the Attorney General the prerogative to represent Illinois residents before the Supreme Court in all civil and criminal proceedings pending before that court. This remains one of its core powers.
Criminal Investigations Division’s primary areas of focus include high value and organized financial crimes, narcotics prosecutions, public integrity/tax fraud cases and Article 36 vehicle forfeitures. We work in close conjunction with local law enforcement and federal agencies in these endeavors.
The Office of the Attorney General’s Charitable Trust Bureau
The Office of the Attorney General is responsible for all civil litigation involving State agencies, officers, and employees as well as criminal trials initiated by Office investigators.
The Office of the Attorney General aggressively prosecutes cases involving government fraud, waste and corruption. These include cases alleging Official Misconduct by State and local officials as well as allegations of vendor/grant fraud by vendors/grantees. Additionally, OAG handles many Medicaid Fraud Control cases as well as civil qui tam actions filed on behalf of Illinois by private citizens against the state government.
The Attorney General plays an essential role in Illinois’ constitutional and democratic government system, with broad discretion to act in the public interest. When federal policy threatens the rights, protections and values of Illinoisans, the Illinois AG often files suit to uphold law and uphold respect for rule of law in our communities. Kwame Raoul has made clear his plans to uphold this tradition of standing up for Illinoisans’ rights through filing lawsuits when needed.
The Office of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
The Office of the Attorney General represents state governments and federal agencies in civil actions brought against them. Additionally, this division provides support and assistance for local crime victim service programs; investigates issues of public importance; and acts as liaison with local government agencies.
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit consists of 11 attorneys working closely with Illinois State Police. Their work encompasses criminal and civil prosecutions in Illinois State and Federal courts for fraud on Medicaid system, abuse/neglect of long term care facility residents and litigation of civil qui tam cases both state and federal courts.
The Attorney General’s Office currently has multiple job openings available within its Financial Crimes Prosecution Unit and Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. As an equal opportunity employer, all applicants will be considered regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation or veteran status. For more information about applying and the qualifications necessary to succeed please visit their website for details on applying.
