Departmental Highlights

Snapshot: Appropriation & Staffing Changes from 2024 Budget

	2024 Budgeted	2025 Proposed	Net Change	Percent Change
Appropriations	$46,229,759	$45,920,152	-$309,607	-0.7%
Positions & FTEs	427	406	-21	-4.9%

• 13 Law Clerk positions have been eliminated from the previous year’s budget. Assistant corporation counsel roles are also down a net -5 positions across various titles.
• Administrative assistant positions are up, with a net increase of seven positions across various titles and title changes.
• Outside contracting via the professional and technical services category saw the largest year over year increase, up $282,770 (22.7%) from the 2024 budget. 
• Salaries and wages on payroll, in keeping with the reduced headcount, saw the largest decrease from 2024’s budget at -$389,012 (-0.9%)

Historical Context

From 2011-2024, the department budget grew at an average rate of 2.4% per year. Departmental budgets overall increased an average of 6.1% per year over the same time period, while the total city budget including Finance General appropriations grew at an average rate of 8.5% annually.

The department’s budgeted workforce declined at a rate of roughly -0.1% annually from 2011-2024. Overall budgeted positions for the city remained relatively flat across the same time period, with minor year-to-year fluctuations averaging out to an overall growth rate of 0.04%.

Staffing

Overall headcount is down -21 positions, driven primarily by cuts to clerking staff. 

13 Law Clerk positions have been eliminated from the previous year’s budget. Assistant corporation counsel roles are also down a net -5 positions across various titles. 

Administrative assistant positions are up, with a net increase of seven positions across various titles and title changes. 

Appropriations

The Department of Law is primarily funded out of the corporate fund. The proposed 2025 corporate fund appropriations are down slightly from the year before, while the O’Hare Airport Fund appropriations saw an 11% increase.

Largest Appropriations

Salaries and wages make up the bulk of DoL’s budget. Several of the other largest appropriation accounts are outside contracting related, including the professional and technical services appropriation.

Change from Previous Year

Outside contracting via the professional and technical services category saw the largest year over year increase, up $282,770 (22.7%) from the 2024 budget. 

Salaries and wages on payroll, in keeping with the reduced headcount, saw the largest decrease from 2024’s budget at -$389,012 (-0.9%).