Legal Assistant - Tort Litigation Unit

Position Summary 

The Legal Assistant will work with approximately four trial attorneys and be responsible for sending out investigation requests to City departments and following up ensure that the City timely responds to Discovery requests.  The Legal Assistant will assist in the drafting of Discovery answers, interview City inspectors, police officers and motor vehicle operators as well as conduct investigation to determine such things as property ownership, contractor or utility work (e.g., excavations) and background investigation of claimants.  The Legal Assistant will assist with trial preparation and may be called upon to prepare deposition digests, subpoena requests, process settlements and judgments and other tasks as deemed appropriate by supervisors.    Excellent organizational, oral and written communication as well as inter-personal skills are required coupled with the ability to manage numerous assignments.  City residency is required within six months of employment.   

Essential Functions 

The functions listed below are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed in this role. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or essential functions. Duties may be modified, assigned, or reassigned as operational needs evolve, consistent with applicable law. 

Duties of a Legal Assistant in the Tort Litigation Unit primarily consist of investigating and answering Discovery in civil tort claims filed in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia – Civil Trial Division.  Duties primarily include but are not limited to: 

• Processing settlement agreements and updating databases as required 

• Managing our mandated reporting to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services with claims information  

• Sending requests for information to relevant City agencies and following up to meet rigid deadlines. 

• Drafting answers to Discovery.   

• Interviewing witnesses. 

• Researching real property ownership or possession. 

• Assisting attorneys with the logistics of case management, document preparation and trial. 

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, Tableu) 

Microsoft Teams, Zoom and other virtual platforms 

• Ability to complete work projects in a timely and accurate manner 

• Commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion  

• Experience exercising discretion and confidentiality with sensitive information