Legal Assistant - Code & Public Nuisance Litigation Unit

City of Philadelphia • Philadelphia, PA

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Legal Assistant will support attorneys by performing legal work in addition to clerical duties. This role involves communication with members of the public, attorneys, judicial staff, and other departments. The Legal Assistant will collaborate with other Legal Assistants and Clerks as part of a team to ensure the responsibilities of the Unit are met.

Requirements

• Ability to maintain large volumes of documents and data utilizing databases such as Sharepoint
• Ability to work in a demanding and fast-paced setting
• Ability to work productively on one’s own, and collaboratively
• Ability to adapt and learn new systems/procedures
• Experience with Word, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat (including bates stamping, redaction, creating and splitting of pdfs)
• Qualified candidates must be hard-working, organized, attend to detail, and have an eager, helpful attitude
• Excellent time management and organizational skills
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Excellent attention to detail
• Knowledge of legal concepts such as attorney-client privilege and relevance
• Must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of City procedures is a plus

Responsibilities

• Drafting of complaints and other legal filings
• Prepare court notices, subpoenas for documents and witnesses, trial exhibits, service of process, etc.
• Input data/information into case management systems regarding all matters handled by the unit
• Assisting attorneys with the logistics of case management—including but not limited to tracking service, responses, and deadlines--document preparation, and trial
• Compile reports as needed for the Chief, the Chief’s chain of command, discovery and matters handled by the unit
• Research on departmental systems, Westlaw, and public records such as Philadox, Atlas, OPA
• Assist in preparing witnesses for hearings and requesting discovery
• Coordinate appearance of court reporters and technology providers
• Follow up on action items
• Liaise with client departments, including Department of Licenses and Inspections, Department of Public Health, Streets Department, and PPD
• Communicate with the public regarding judgment balances and negotiated payoffs
• Set up all new cases files, typically for Court of Common Pleas and Municipal Court
• Maintain attorney and group calendars for all hearings
• Copy, scan, fax and hand-deliver documents
• Redact sensitive information from discoverable documents
• Preserve electronic copies of documents for case files
• Additional duties as the Chief and the Chief’s chain of command require

Benefits

• Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program
• 8 weeks of paid parental leave
• Eligibility into the discounted medical plan through wellness program
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options
• Eligibility to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program
• Access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships (10% to 40% savings) with partner colleges and universities, extending to spouse and dependents in some cases

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level