Legal Assistant - Tax Litigation and Collections Unit - City of Philadelphia

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.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The City of Philadelphia Law Department acts as general counsel for the entire City government structure. We provide legal advice to all City officials, employees, departments, agencies, boards, and commissions concerning any matters related to the exercise of their official powers.  The Law Department is comprised of over 220 lawyers and 100 support staff.  The Law Department provides legal representation for the City in matters involving federal, state, and local agency litigation, commercial and real estate transactions, tax, regulatory issues, social services, and legislation. 

The Law Department’s Tax Litigation and Collections Unit represents the City, as plaintiff, seeking to collect taxes and certain other amounts owed to the City, and represents the City as defendant in cases where taxpayers dispute their liabilities.   The Department of Revenue is responsible for collecting all taxes due to the city and to the School District of Philadelphia, and for collecting water and sewer charges and certain other debts to the City.  From time to time, the Law Department seeks professional services providers to assist it in its work, including third-party collection services.  The Department of Revenue is selected to administer these contracts, in conjunction with the Law Department’s Tax Litigation and Collections Unit, because of its expertise in the field of taxation and because of its experience in hiring tax collectors.

The Law Department’s Tax Litigation and Collections Unit seeks to hire a Legal Assistant to work with Unit’s sequestration and use and occupancy non-filer programs.

Essential Functions

• Serve as liaison between high level officials/department heads, taxpayers and water customers, and others to facilitate disputes and resolutions in the City’s interest. 
• Collaborate with revenue department regarding customer needs, data sharing, increased revenue, reduced costs, and improved communications.
• Court communications to ensure efficient performance of both sequestration and use and occupancy non filer programs, including the discovery of non-filer use and occupancy accounts, noticing of taxpayers’ failure to file tax returns, filing of self-assessed tax liens, following up on ensuing inquiries.
• Inventory maintenance both building and reviewing for appropriateness with respect to court and client.
• Collaborate with Tax Unit and sequestration staff to ensure efficient handling of cases.
• Monitor and compare sequestration performance.
• Develop statistical reporting and communicate findings to allow stakeholders to better monitor and strategize collection efforts.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent written and oral communication
• Excellent organizational skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to work in a demanding and fast-paced setting
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse team members
• Experience with Word and Excel
• Ability to learn promptly to use custom City applications (Prism and CaseII) required.

Preferred candidate will possess a Bachelor’s degree, paralegal certificate or equivalent and have three or more years’ experience in a legal setting, preferably in a law firm or an in-house legal department. 

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

Salary Range: $43,076 to $59,077 - Commensurate with education and experience

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 6 weeks of paid parental leave.
• 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
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that  are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

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 faqpchr@phila.gov.

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx