Divisional Deputy City Solicitor

Job Description

Position Summary

The City of Philadelphia Law Department seeks a senior level attorney licensed in Pennsylvania or eligible to become a member of the Pennsylvania bar within six (6) months of hire for the position of Divisional Deputy City Solicitor to supervise the Commercial Law Unit’s Contracts & Procurement Division.

The successful candidate will ensure compliance with the various City, state, and federal laws and regulations pertaining to the City’s contracting processes.  They will mitigate risk and drive efficiency by enhancing the contracting process; enhance or develop contracting templates; negotiate and conduct meetings with City leaders and other corporate counsel; draft, negotiate, and review complex agreements for a myriad of City services; oversee and manage the operations of the Contracts & Procurement Division; and counsel City leaders, including commissioners, directors, and City Council for the purpose of furthering the City’s commercial operations. 

The position of Divisional Deputy City Solicitor has supervisory responsibilities within the Unit in addition to handling the matters described above. The Divisional position requires an attorney with strong communication, interpersonal, and management skills. The Divisional will assist the Unit’s Chief Deputy in supervising and providing support to the attorneys in the Unit, as well as developing and implementing Unit practices.

All Unit members are expected to work collaboratively with other Unit and Law Department colleagues on all matters in a manner that reflects the Law Department’s focus on fostering and maintaining a collegial, inclusive, and professional environment that values all forms of diversity.

Essential Functions

In addition to the Position Summary, responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Supervising and managing the work of attorneys, providing training and support where needed;
• Providing opportunities for training and mentoring;
• Fostering and maintaining a collegial, inclusive, and professional environment;
• Providing advice and guidance on various complex contracting matters;
• Advising and representing City departments, in particular, the City’s Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, Procurement Department, Managing Director’s Office, Capital Programs Office, and operating City Departments;
• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a variety of contracts for the procurement of professional services, grant agreements, and memoranda of understanding;
• Communicating with City business stakeholders and subject matter experts, vendors, and others involved in business and commercial law matters;
• Conducting research, drafting legal opinions, and analyzing legal issues related to commercial law;
• Interpreting laws, rulings, and regulations for individuals and government agencies, including but not limited to the Philadelphia Code, the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, procurement law, and federal, state and local regulations;
• Analyzing the risk profile of proposed transactions in consult with the City’s Division of Risk Management;
• Performing administrative functions related to the practice of law;
• Reviewing, evaluating, and periodically updating the form contract and solicitation documents to account for changes in the law, improve legal terms and conditions, and improve the quality of contract documents; and
• Performing administrative functions related to the practice of law.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to support and supervise a team of attorneys and professional staff.
• Ability to train professional legal staff as well as non-legal staff on applicable legal requirements.
• Ability to prioritize and manage a substantial workload.
• Ability to communicate information and ideas in writing in a concise and diplomatic manner. Must be able to clearly present and explain complex legal matters to large groups and high-level officials and employ diplomacy in challenging situations.
• Ability to handle time-sensitive, complex negotiations with sophisticated opposing counsel.
• Ability to draft and negotiate nuanced language adhering to City legal and policy framework.
• Ability to find what applicable laws and regulations apply to a specific matter.  
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a demonstrated ability to identify and analyze legal issues within complex fact patterns.  
• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills.  
• Strong commitment to diversity in an office that values all individuals and respects differences. 
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work on teams and collaborate with colleagues and clients. 
• Additional experience with government procurement contracting is preferred but not required.

Qualifications

• This is a senior/supervisory level position, with seven (7) plus years of legal experience relevant to the subject matter and/or responsibilities of your unit required. 
• Candidates must have a law degree from an ABA accredited law school and must either be a member in good standing of the Pennsylvania Bar, or currently eligible to be admitted by reciprocity to practice in Pennsylvania (Pa.B.A.R. 204). Continued employment of attorneys not admitted to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania within six (6) months of hire is at the discretion of the Law Department.