Senior Staff Attorney

Company Description

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 Board of Ethics is an independent body that administers and enforces the City’s ethics, campaign finance, and lobbying laws. The Board’s mission is carried out by a dedicated team of approximately ten staff members, including attorneys and compliance professionals. Board Staff carries out the day-to-day functions of the Board, subject to the Board’s oversight. Board Staff provides advice, training, and compliance assistance to City workers, candidates, lobbyists, businesses, and City residents. Board Staff iinvestigates and prosecutes violations of the City’s campaign finance and lobbying laws, financial disclosure requirements, conflict of interest rules, political activity restrictions, and other ethics rules.

Job Description

Position Summary:
The Board of Ethics is seeking an attorney with at least five (5) years of legal experience. The Senior Staff Attorney will report to the Board’s General Counsel. In addition to providing guidance on ethics, campaign finance, lobbying, and financial disclosure laws and regulations, the Senior Staff Attorney will develop and deliver engaging training and educational content on these topics. This position will involve significant interaction with City officials as well as members of the external regulated community. This is a non-supervisory position for an experienced attorney that provides a unique opportunity for growth and development under the supervision of experienced government ethics professionals.

Essential Functions:

The Senior Staff Attorney’s primary duties consist of providing guidance to individuals and organizations subject to the City’s ethics, campaign finance, and lobbying laws.

The Senior Staff Attorney is expected to, among other things:

• Give accurate and timely advice to prospective, current, and former City officials on City ethics laws
• Draft formal advisory opinions for issuance by the Board and General Counsel
• Evaluate, draft, and recommend regulatory and legislative changes
• Build and nurture relationships with partners within and outside City government
• Research and analyze complex legal issues
• Facilitate engaging and creative training on City ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance laws to a variety of audiences with the goal of helping them understand legalese with ease
• Develop educational resources and outreach communications
• Provide advice to the regulated community on the campaign finance and lobbying laws administered by the Board

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Commitment to public service and government integrity
• Desire to develop expertise in new areas of law
• Ability to independently prioritize and manage a varied workload
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to listen, answer questions, and explain complex legal requirements
• Ability to deliver effective presentations and training programs for diverse audiences
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work on teams and collaborate with colleagues from other City offices
• Proactive and resourceful problem-solver
• Ability to grasp new concepts quickly across multiple practice areas
• Ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to identify and analyze complex issues and propose viable solutions
• Excellent research skills, including proficiency in electronic legal databases and use of government agency websites to locate statuto