Chair of the Social Services Law Group

  • Full-time

Company Description

With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and opportunities in more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia is the fifth largest city in the United States and one of the largest employers in Southeastern Pennsylvania. As an employer, the City of Philadelphia operates through the guiding principles of service, integrity, respect, accountability, collaboration, diversity and inclusion. Through these principles, we strive to effectively deliver services, to resolve the challenges facing our city, and to make Philadelphia a place where all our residents have the opportunity to reach their potential. 

Agency Descriptions:

The Law Department's civil practice includes unique issues involving public interest. Our lawyers help chart the course for the City in business, health, safety, commerce, civil rights, taxation, and community development.  The Social Services Law Group (SSLG) is comprised of the Child Welfare Unit (CWU), Health and Adult Services Unit (HAS) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Unit (HIPAA).  Its major client responsibilities include, the Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of Public Health (PDPH), Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual DisAbilities (DBHIDS) and the Office of Homeless Services (OHS). The Social Services Law Group represents the City in most of its initiatives and policies involving vulnerable populations.

Job Description

The City of Philadelphia Law Department seeks an experienced licensed PA attorney to Chair the Social Services Law Group (SSLG).  The SSLG is comprised of three units: the Child Welfare Unit (CWU), Health and Adult Services Unit (HAS) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Unit (HIPAA).  The Chair of the SSLG oversees the provision of legal representation and services to all of the social service agencies in the City of Philadelphia, as well as all City HIPAA covered entities.  The Chair of the SSLG will be responsible for managing approximately 100 staff, including over 60 attorneys.  The Chair of the SSLG is also a member of the Law Department’s Executive Team and reports directly to the City Solicitor and First Deputy City Solicitor.

The duties of the Chair of the SSLG primarily consist of providing coordinated legal representation and advice to the Social Service Departments of the City of Philadelphia.  These duties include but are not limited to:

  • Managing and overseeing the Senior Management structure in the SSLG, which consists of four Chief Deputies, i.e. CWU Chief Deputy of Litigation and Appeals, CWU Chief Deputy of Administration and Specialty Practice, Chief Deputy of HAS, Chief Deputy of HIPAA and eight Divisional Deputy City Solicitors, along with the Senior Attorney for Policy and Research;
  • Managing, at a macro level, legal and policy issues for the respective clients of the CWU, HAS and HIPAA Units;
  • Serving as lead counsel to the Deputy Managing Director for the Social Services Cluster and the Commissioners of the represented social service agencies, i.e. the Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of Public Health (PDPH), Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual DisAbilities (DBHIDS) and the Office of Homeless Services (OHS);
  • Providing oversight to the Social Services Cluster on its extensive Data Sharing Project;
  • Convening, coordinating and leading the work of the Law Opioid Workgroup;
  • Counseling and consulting with the DHS on “high profile cases”, which includes the drafting of responses to press/media inquiries;
  • Overseeing the CWU work regarding the Act 33 fatality and near fatality cases;
  • Acting as liaison for various clients with Court Administration, Community Legal Services, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and other legal stakeholders;
  • Participating and providing counsel to various City Task Forces on specialized social service initiatives.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate would have at least 12-15 years in practice, including substantial experience managing attorneys.  Significant experience in child welfare law, public health law, HIPAA, Family Court and Mental Health Court is preferred.  The candidate must be able to work collaboratively with the leadership and staff of the various social service agencies and the other stakeholders to solve the myriad issues that may arise when dealing with abused and neglected children and their families and other vulnerable populations.

Candidates must be a member of the Pennsylvania Bar. 

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

  • Strong leadership and management skills;
  • Influence and run cross-functional teams to drive change and stay aligned with overarching strategy;
  • Orchestrate multiple activities at once; uses resources effectively and efficiently;
  • Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal;
  • Excellent active listening skills;
  • Strong analytical & problem-solving skills;
  • Proven project management skills that meet projected deadline and results;
  • Work effectively with all levels in the government;
  • Ability to clearly articulate messages to a variety of audiences;
  • Ability to coach and influence senior leaders and move toward a common vision or goal;
  • Experience in group facilitation, coaching & leading teams/organizations in performance improvement strategies that result in higher performance;
  • Experience in managing client relationships;
  • Experience in cross system collaboration work, information sharing and data sharing;
  • Analysis of complex legal issues and impact on policy;
  • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules and process;
  • Ability to analyze large amounts of information, determine relevant facts, and propose viable solutions.

Additional Information

Successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire.

Any questions related to this position should be directed to Craig M. Straw, First Deputy City Solicitor at craig.straw@ phila.gov.

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