Assistant District Attorney- Child Support Enforcement Unit

Position: Assistant District Attorney

Unit: Child Support Enforcement

Supervisor: Child Support Enforcement Unit Supervisor

Company Description

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office is the largest prosecutor's office in Pennsylvania, and one of the largest in the nation. It serves more than 1.5 million citizens of the City and County of Philadelphia, employing 700 lawyers, detectives, and support staff. Our Assistant District Attorneys are dedicated to public service, public safety, and justice for all involved in the criminal justice system.

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

To attain a job with the city, you must be a City of Philadelphia resident within 6 months (180 days) of hire and able to work completely in the office.

Summary of Job
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office is seeking an Assistant District Attorney (ADA) to work in the Child Support Enforcement Unit (CSEU). The CSEU Unit is a (specialized) unit in the DAO that enforces, establishes, and assists the court in all child support matters. The ADA assigned to the CSEU will be responsible for case preparation, representation of the Commonwealth and custodial parents in court proceedings, communication with plaintiffs, plaintiff's counsel, defense counsel, and court staff, compilation of statistics, maintenance of records and files, legal research, document review and production, and coordination with outside agencies.

The District Attorney's Office provides an exciting alternative to employment at a private law firm.

Duties & Responsibilities

Drafting and reviewing legal documents.

Negotiating settlements and representing clients in court.

Provide counsel on behalf of the Commonwealth and custodial parents, both in and out of the courtroom, on a variety of family law matters, including paternity, interstate, and guideline-support calculations.

Modifications of support orders and contempt of support.

Research relevant legal issues.

Prepare written legal documents, including briefs, court filings, and motions.

Communicate effectively with clients, defendants, judges, and opposing counsel.

Develop an understanding of appellate law and procedure.

Attending court as counsel on average 2-3 days a week.

Skills & Qualifications

• All candidates must be admitted to practice law in the State of Pennsylvania.
• Candidates must have 5 or more years of legal experience following graduation from an accredited law school.
• Candidates must be highly motivated researchers, comfortable with document-driven cases that can take months to build.
• Candidates should have courtroom experience in trials or other evidentiary proceedings.
• Candidate must be able to manage a trial caseload.
• Candidate must be able to take initiative and be self-directed on non-deadline-oriented investigations.
• Ability to work directly with court staff and judges.
• Candidates must be organized, flexible, and capable of working under pressure.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications is desirable.
• Ability to develop and cultivate effective internal/external working relationships is essential.

• Understanding of the uniquely sensitive and confidential nature of the professional services provided by the Office.

Applications will be active for one year from the date of receipt by the Office.

All exempt employees of the District Attorney's Office are at-will employees and serve at the pleasure of the District Attorney. The at-will relationship shall not be modified for any employee and no agreement, oral or written, shall be entered into that changes the at-will relationship.

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, 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.