Assistant District Attorney - Special Investigations Unit

Philadelphia District Attorney's Office; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous retirement savings options

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Comprehensive health coverage

20 vacation days annually

Wellness program eligibility

Job summary

A city prosecutor's office seeks an Assistant District Attorney for the Special Investigations Unit to investigate municipal corruption and prosecute related cases. Candidates must be admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and possess over 5 years of legal experience. Responsibilities include managing complex investigations, collaborating with county detectives, and responding to police-related incidents. The role demands a commitment to anti-corruption work and offers a range of benefits including comprehensive health coverage and generous paid time off.

Qualifications

• Admitted to practice law in the State of Pennsylvania.
• 5 or more years of legal experience following graduation from an accredited law school (preferred).
• Commitment to anti‑corruption work.
• Highly motivated researchers with document-driven cases.
• Experience with domestic violence and sexual assault cases is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Receive and investigate complaints of corruption.
• Collaborate with SIU County Detectives for prosecutions.
• Review complex investigations for adoption by SIU.
• Respond to police-involved shootings and warrant requests.
• Conduct examinations through the Investigating Grand Jury.

Skills

Legal research

Interviewing witnesses

Trial management

Investigative skills

Anti-corruption commitment

Education

Admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania

5 or more years of legal experience

Job description

Assistant District Attorney - Special Investigations Unit

Join to apply for the Assistant District Attorney - Special Investigations Unit role at Philadelphia District Attorney's Office.

Position Information

• Title: Assistant District Attorney
• Unit: Special Investigations Unit
• Manager: Supervisor of Special Investigations Unit

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.

Job Summary

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) investigates and prosecutes municipal corruption, including on- and off duty misconduct by public officials, municipal and governmental employees, and law enforcement officers. SIU also handles cases as needed, such as building collapses, and is home to the Election Task Force.

Essential Functions

• Receiving complaints of corruption through various media and doing basic corroboration/fact checking.
• Investigating these complaints in collaboration with SIU County Detectives and, when warranted, commencing prosecution.
• Reviewing complex investigations for adoption by SIU.
• Investigating, in collaboration with the OISI unit of PPD, all law enforcement discharges and in‑custody deaths in Philadelphia.
• Being on‑call to respond to the scene of any fatal police‑involved shootings.
• Being on‑call to respond to warrant and charging requests from Internal Affairs and OISI.
• Reviewing investigations submitted to the DAO by outside agencies for probable cause determinations and, if arrest is warranted, prosecuting the case from charging to final disposition.
• Reviewing cases for possible diversion with an eye and understanding toward the specific collateral consequences of SIU’s typical offenders (pension forfeiture, housing considerations, etc.).
• Reviewing cases with an eye toward specific hurdles faced by SIU’s complainants (5th Amendment, lack of trust, retaliation).
• Conducting examinations and investigations through the Investigating Grand Jury.

Qualifications

• Admitted to practice law in the State of Pennsylvania.
• 5 or more years of legal experience following graduation from an accredited law school (preferred).
• Commitment to anti‑corruption work.
• Highly motivated researchers, comfortable with document‑driven cases that can take months or years to build.
• Experience handling domestic violence and sexual assault cases is a plus.Ability to manage a trial caseload.
• Self‑directed initiative for non‑deadline oriented investigations.
• Ability to build a case directly with County Detectives and other ADAs.
• Willing to be on‑call 1 week out of every 6.

Benefits

• Generous retirement savings options.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer.
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, vision, prescription, dental).
• Annual paid time off: 20 vacation days, 15 sick leave days, 11 paid holidays, 5 annual administrative leave.
• Wellness program eligibility.
• Before‑tax commuter program.
• Health & dependent care flexible spending accounts.

Employment Status

• Exempt employee with the City of Philadelphia.
• At‑will relationship.

Equal Opportunity

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.