About the position
The Legal Assistant will provide executive level support for various members of the Executive Office and floor within the City of Philadelphia Law Department. This position is essential for ensuring smooth operations and effective communication within the department. The ideal candidate will possess excellent organizational skills, the ability to work independently, and strong communication skills. The role involves interacting with various department members and regularly engaging with the public, addressing inquiries via phone, email, and general correspondence. The Legal Assistant will be responsible for a variety of tasks that support the Executive Team, including managing correspondence, scheduling, and maintaining a welcoming environment for visitors. In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Legal Assistant will greet and welcome visitors, liaise with building security to coordinate visitor access, and handle incoming calls to the Department. This includes providing resources to assist taxpayers, residents, and City employees. The role also requires preparing letters and other correspondence for the Executive Team, monitoring news alerts relevant to Law Department business, and sorting and distributing incoming mail and reference materials. The Legal Assistant will ensure that public notices are scanned and forwarded to the correct units and departments, inspect and monitor the floor for any building maintenance or safety issues, and report these to the Deputy Director of Administration. Filing pleadings with courts of various jurisdictions, assisting with Law Department programming or projects, managing conference room and resource scheduling, and making travel arrangements are also key responsibilities of this position. The Legal Assistant must demonstrate superior customer service skills, effective oral and written communication, and the ability to manage and prioritize numerous assignments. Proficiency in various computer applications, including MS Office and Google Drive, is required. The candidate should also have a commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and experience handling sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality.
Responsibilities
- Greet and welcome visitors; liaise with building security to coordinate visitors
- Handle incoming calls to the Department, including providing resources where appropriate, to assist taxpayers, residents, and City employees
- Preparing letters and other correspondence for Executive Team
- Monitor and manage news alerts relevant to Law Department business
- Sort and distribute incoming mail, periodicals, and reference materials to the appropriate recipients
- Ensure that public notices are scanned and forwarded to the correct units and departments
- Inspect and monitor the floor for any building maintenance or safety issues, reporting to the Deputy Director of Administration
- Filing pleadings with courts of various jurisdictions
- Assist with Law Department programming or projects where needed
- Managing conference room and resource scheduling
- Managing travel arrangements
- Perform other administrative duties as assigned and needed
Requirements
- High School/GED required; preferred candidate will possess an Associates degree, paralegal certificate or equivalent
- Experience in a legal or municipal setting
- Excellent organizational skills
- Superior customer service 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), and Microsoft Teams, Zoom and other virtual platforms
- Experience exercising discretion and confidentiality with sensitive information
Nice-to-haves
- Experience in a legal or municipal setting
- Paralegal certificate or equivalent
Benefits
- Unlimited FREE public transportation through SEPTA's Key Advantage program
- 6 weeks of paid parental leave
- Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
- Wellness program with eligibility into the discounted medical plan
- Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
- Generous retirement savings options
- Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program
- Tuition discounts and scholarships with partnerships from local colleges and universities
