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.  

The Law Department's Child Welfare Unit (CWU) represents the City of Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS) in all aspects of its work in investigating reports of child abuse and child neglect and providing services to children and families in need.

The Child Welfare Unit is a collegial, fast-paced, challenging Unit in which attorneys are, with appropriate training and supervision, expected to independently manage their case files from start to finish. 

Position Summary

Legal assistants in the Child Welfare Unit meet with Department of Human Services (“DHS”) social work service managers and Community Umbrella Agencies (“CUA”) case managers to discuss proposed and pending court cases, draft dependent petitions which are filed in the Dependent Branch of Family Court following these interviews, and review DHS case records in order to prepare petitions seeking either Voluntary Or Involuntary Termination Of Parental Rights, or Permanent Legal Custody. They also prepare related documents and gather the necessary information in order to supplement these pleadings. The legal assistants occasionally expunge DHS case records of confidential information for review by outside parties and appear at Pre-Hearing Conferences at Family Court on behalf of the Law Department.

Essential Functions

The duties of a Legal Assistant in the CWU primarily consist of assisting in the representation of DHS in Dependency matters in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia – Family Division. These duties include but are not limited to:

• Drafting dependent and permanency petitions; 
• Assisting attorneys with the logistics of case management, and document preparation and presentation;
• Reviewing and expunging DHS and CUA case records of confidential information for review by parents, counselors, and other parties requesting these files; and 
• Attending Pre-Hearing Conferences at Family court on behalf of the Law Department. 

Preferred candidate will possess an Associate’s degree, paralegal certificate or equivalent and have experience in a legal setting.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent organizational skills
• Oral and written communication
• Client management skills
• Ability to manage numerous assignments.

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