Legal Assistant - Child Welfare Unit
About The Position
Legal assistants in the Child Welfare Unit meet with Department of Human Services (“DHS”) social work service managers and Community Umbrella Agencies (“CUA”) case managers to discuss proposed and pending court cases, draft dependent petitions which are filed in the Dependent Branch of Family Court following these interviews, and review DHS case records in order to prepare petitions seeking either Voluntary Or Involuntary Termination Of Parental Rights, or Permanent Legal Custody. They also prepare related documents and gather necessary information in order to supplement these pleadings. The legal assistants occasionally expunge DHS case records of confidential information for review by outside parties and appear at Pre-Hearing Conferences at Family Court on behalf of the Law Department.
Requirements
- Excellent organizational skills
- Effective and professional oral and written communication
- Ability to work independently and think proactively
- Ability to manage and prioritize numerous assignments
- MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint, OneNote, Access)
- Google Drive (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms)
- Spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets, OpenOffice Calc)
- Email (mail merge, filters, folders, rules)
- Presentations/Slideshows (Powerpoint, Google Slides, OpenOffice Impress, Tableu)
- Microsoft Teams, Zoom and other virtual platforms
- Experience with electronic filing through PACfile
- Ability to complete work projects in a timely and accurate manner
- Commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Experience exercising discretion and confidentiality with sensitive information
Nice To Haves
- Preferred candidate will possess an Associates degree, paralegal certificate or equivalent and have executive assistant experience, preferably in a legal setting.
Responsibilities
- Drafting dependent and permanency petitions
- Assisting attorneys with the logistics of case management, and document preparation and presentation
- Reviewing and expunging DHS and CUA case records of confidential information for review by parents, counsel, and other parties requesting these files
- Attending Pre-Hearing Conferences at Family court on behalf for the Law Department.
Benefits
- City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
- The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
- We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
- Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
- Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
- Generous retirement savings options are available
- As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
- The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
