Legal Assistant - Health and Adult Services Unit

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 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 Health and Adult Services Unit provides legal representation for the Department of Public Health, the Department of Behavioral Health/Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS), and the Office of Homeless Services. 

Job Description

Legal Assistants assist the attorneys in this unit with the legal tasks related to those City departments.  In addition to other duties, Legal Assistants in the Health and Adult Services unit play a major role in handling cases related to lead abatement in homes throughout the City of Philadelphia and assist with preparing cases for Mental Health court. 

Essential Functions

The essential functions of Legal Assistants in the Health and Adult Services Unit include but are not limited to the following:

• Communicate directly with members of the Childhood Lead Prevention Program (CLPP) staff to obtain information related to homes that have not been appropriately abated. 
• Verify property ownership through various research databases, draft, review and file court documents, and enter information regarding these court cases into an internal database and attends court with the assigned attorney. 
• Assist with the preparation (prep) of Mental Health court cases by notify petitioners of upcoming court dates via telephone and through the preparation of subpoenas.  Legal Assistants assist with the down-prep of these cases by sending documentation to DBHIDS and by entering the case information into an internal database. 
• Draft, review and file petitions to compel cooperation with treatment for tuberculosis as well as other communicable diseases.  To obtain information related to the petitions, the Legal Assistant communicates directly with personnel in the Division of Disease Control. 
• Update unit manuals, handle requests for records and respond in-person and through telephone and e-mail to questions from the public, court personnel and City personnel.  

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent organizational skills
• Effective and professional oral and written communication
• Ability to work independently and think proactively
• Ability to manage and prioritize numerous assignments
• Computer skills required/desired for the position include:
• 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