Careers in Prosecution

A career in prosecution is designed for those attorneys dedicated to the finest public service available and who are committed to the ideals of public safety and justice. Working in a major metropolitan prosecutor's office offers an attorney a broad spectrum of experience. Of approximately 100,000 arrests made in Philadelphia in a given year, more than 75,000 criminal cases are disposed of by the District Attorney's Office and the courts. These crimes range from disorderly conduct to aggravated assaults, complex fraud investigations, rapes and murders. The Office is responsible for both adult and juvenile prosecutions.

While the District Attorney's Office naturally offers exceptional trial experience, it also provides a unique environment for the pursuit of other legal skills. For example, the Appeals Unit handles over one thousand appeals annually, both as appellee and appellant, presenting challenging and interesting issues for developing legal writing skills and oral advocacy. These appeals are litigated in a variety of courts, ranging from the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas to the United States Supreme Court. The bulk of appellate litigation is before the Pennsylvania Superior and Supreme Courts. In nearly all cases, appellate attorneys are assigned full responsibility, under supervision, for the briefing and arguing of their own cases. Increasingly, the Appeals Unit is staffed by attorneys completing judicial clerkships, including Federal District and Circuit Court clerkships.

The benefits of working in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, both professionally and economically, are very competitive with the private practice of law in small/medium law firms in most areas of the country. The average length of service for an Assistant District Attorney has been steadily increasing to the point where many lawyers are finding the vocation of becoming a career prosecutor quite attractive and rewarding.

ASSIGNMENTS
Assignments and promotions within the District Attorney's Office are based primarily on the needs of the Office, demonstrated ability and work ethic. New Assistant District Attorneys are assigned initially to either the Municipal Court Unit or the Appeals Unit. In the Municipal Court Unit, attorneys handle misdemeanor trials and felony preliminary hearings. Attorneys in the Appeals Unit write briefs and argue before the appellate courts.

After an assignment in Municipal Court, Assistant District Attorneys typically move on to the Juvenile Unit, and next, to the Felony Waiver Unit. During the course of an assignment to the Felony Waiver Unit, each Assistant District Attorney should expect to be assigned, for a period of approximately three or four months, to the Charging Unit.

Once proficient in non-jury trials, an Assistant District Attorney will have an opportunity to try jury trials. As stated previously, this progression is based on the needs of the office, and on one's demonstrated ability and work ethic. Following the normal progression in the Trial Division, Assistant District Attorneys are often assigned, based upon the needs of the Office, to the Investigations Division, Appeals, the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Unit, Homicide or the Charging Unit.

There is no guarantee of a specific progression, career path or series of unit assignments. Every assignment is based first and foremost on the needs of the Office.

SALARY STRUCTURE
As of July 1, 2007 the starting salary for newly admitted bar members is $48,975. The starting salary of Assistant District Attorneys who are hired after having served in a judicial clerkship is the same as that of an Assistant who has been in the office for one year. Provision is made for automatic annual salary increments up through $60,276. Thereafter, salary increases are based on meritorious performance.

BENEFITS
Immediately upon assuming office, Assistant District Attorneys receive benefits similar to those of other city employees, including a pension plan, sick leave, 11 paid holidays per year, four annual administrative leave days, 20 paid vacation days each year, a choice of medical insurance plans and a term life insurance policy.

Additional Benefits available to qualified staff:

• Participation in a qualified defined benefit pension plan;

• Choice of medical insurance plans, including vision, prescription and dental coverage, which can be extended to spouse, dependents and domestic partners;

• Term life and accidental death and dismemberment (ADD) policies;

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP);

• Optional supplemental life and ADD policies, including options for salary continuation benefit for survivors and dependent life coverage;

• Optional Aetna long term care insurance;

• Optional deferred compensation plan for retirement;

• Other options:

Direct deposit

Membership in credit union

Health club membership discounts

Before tax commuter program

Health care flexible spending accounts

Dependent care flexible spending accounts

Sick leave bonuses and exchanges