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.
•   Opportunities in Tech - Don’t wait for the future, shape it.
•   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 investigates 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.

Essential Functions

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

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Providing guidance and filing support to City officials, campaigns, candidates, political parties, lobbyists, businesses, and others in the regulated community
• Assisting with the implementation of the Board’s training and outreach program
• Providing research, drafting, and editing support for the development of Board publications such as guidance documents, regulations, and formal opinions
• Preparing reports, presentations, and memoranda analyzing compliance and guidance data
• Researching and analyzing complex legal issues

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Commitment to public service and government integrity
• Desire to build legal skills and develop expertise in new areas of the law
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to listen, answer questions, explain complex legal requirements, and adapt style and content for diverse audiences
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work on teams and collaborate with colleagues from other City offices
• Ability to grasp new concepts quickly across multiple practice areas
• Ability to clearly communicate information and ideas through both formal and informal written work product
• 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 statutory, regulatory, and administrative materials
• Ability to analyze data and provide meaningful, actionable data visualizations for both internal and external use
• Strong technology skills, whether formally trained or self-taught, including proficiency in Teams, Zoom, Word, Excel, and Acrobat Pro to independently create and present materials; experience with Adobe Creative Cloud or contact management platforms would be a bonus

Required Education and Experience

• Three (3) years or less of legal practice experience
• Law degree from an accredited law school
• Member in good standing of the Pennsylvania Bar (or eligible for admission in October 2022)

Preferred Experience

• Legal intake, client services, or customer support
• Regulatory or compliance practice

Salary Range: $65,000 – $70,000

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume.

Application materials must be submitted at https://smrtr.io/b3YNj . All questions regarding this posting should be directed to Staff Attorney Tom Klemm at [email protected] or 215-686-9450.

Candidates may be asked to provide references or additional materials. Applications will be accepted until August 30, 2022. Employment offers are conditioned upon successful completion of a background check and a City tax compliance check.

The salary range for this position is $65,000 to $70,000. Benefits include health, dental and life insurance coverage and vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays. The Staff Attorney position is exempt from Civil Service requirements. Board staff is currently working in a flexible hybrid arrangement.

Did you know?

• We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer
• Employees are eligible for a 25% tuition discount program (and sometimes spouses and dependents as well) in partnership with area colleges and universities
• We offer comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available 
   

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

Please note that effective September 1, 2021, the City of Philadelphia is requiring all new employees to present proof of vaccination against COVID-19. 

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 or send an email to [email protected]. For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx.