A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The City of Philadelphia Law Department acts as general counsel for the entire City government structure. We provide legal advice to all City officials, employees, departments, agencies, boards, and commissions concerning any matters related to the exercise of their official powers.

The Law Department's civil practice includes unique issues involving public interest in business, health, safety, commerce, civil rights, taxation, and community development. We employ more than 220 attorneys and 100 professional staff to support seamless operations, reduce legal liability for the City, and challenge threats to quality of life impacting the taxpayers of Philadelphia.

We are an ever-evolving Department where all are empowered to reach their full potential, to collaborate with clients as true partners, and to see their work have real impact on the city of Philadelphia. We celebrate the diversity of our staff, the City’s workforce, and the residents whom we serve and promote an environment of comradery, accountability, and inclusiveness.

The Right-to-Know Unit of the Compliance, Investigations, and Privacy Group is a collegial, fast-paced, challenging practice group that bridges both litigation and transactional practice in which attorneys are, with appropriate training and supervision, expected to independently manage a high-volume caseload of Right-to-Know Requests, appeals, and related legal guidance to all City departments, offices, and boards.

The City of Philadelphia Law Department seeks a Senior Legal Assistant for the Compliance, Investigations, and Privacy Group’s Right to Know Unit. Responsibilities include assisting attorneys in representing all City departments, offices, boards in their compliance with the Right-to-Know Law, and various other laws concerning privacy, confidentiality, and the release of public records. The Unit also provides guidance to departments on record retention in coordination with the Department of Records. Essential skills of a qualified candidate are: strong task management and spreadsheet organization skills; care for data-entry accuracy and error correction; and an aptitude for planning, logistics, and learning new processes. 1-5 years experience with litigation and eDiscovery experience strongly preferred.

Essential Functions

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting attorneys of the City of Philadelphia in all matters relating to the Right-to-Know Law, as well as other related laws and matters.
• Working closely with Law Department attorneys representing clients to assure compliance with applicable law.
• Inputting, updating, and maintaining data/information for all matters handled by the unit, using customized, proprietary case and docket management systems for attorney work files;
• Assisting attorneys with the logistics of case management, document production preparation, filing, and docket monitoring, including maintaining an appeals docket calendar.
• Compiling recurring and as-needed reports for the Chief, the Chief’s chain of command, and matters handled by the Unit.
• Calendaring matters for response and maintain attorney and group calendars for all hearings;
• Liaising with more than 25 client departments, commissions, boards, and offices of the City;
• Communicating with the public regarding submission of RTKL requests;
• Submitting statutory notifications to RTKL requesters;
• Copy and scan mailed request documents and input into case management system;
• Reviewing, organizing, and redacting sensitive information from records for public release in response to requests and appeals;
• Assisting with reviewing, evaluating, and periodically updating forms and processes documents to account for changes in the law and improvement of the quality and organization of these documents.
• Training City employees and officials and Open Records Officers on compliance with the Right-to-Know Law.
• Developing workflow and case management system for tracking requests and appeals.
• Performing administrative functions.
• Additional duties as the Senior Legal Assistant and Chief require.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• 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;
• Experience with Word, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat (including bates stamping, redaction, creating and splitting of pdfs). Advanced Excel abilities, or experience with Microsoft 365 cloud applications (Teams and SharePoint), or with eDiscovery review software (such as Relativity) is a plus.
• Qualified candidates must be hard working, organized, attention to detail, and have an eager, helpful attitude;
• Excellent time management and organizational skills;
• Excellent written and oral communication; and
• Knowledge of legal concepts such as attorney-client privilege.

Work-Life

The Law Department supports a robust work-life balance. Working hours are 37.5 hours per week, Monday through Friday.  Our team is currently hybrid with both virtual and in-office days.  The in-office requirement is 15 hours per week – essentially two days – or as otherwise needed, based on business needs, such as in-person hearings or client meetings.  Staff can opt to come into the office each day if desired.

The candidate should have 1-5 years of applicable experience, with litigation and eDiscovery experience strongly preferred. The ideal candidate will possess a bachelor’s degree or paralegal certificate and/or experience as an administrative assistant, including document drafting and case management administration.

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume.

Salary Range: Up to $71,349 – Commensurate with education and experience

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: 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.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 6 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
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - 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!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that  are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to [email protected].

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx