PHA Adds New Deputy General Counsel

By Amaris Elliott-Engel
Of the Legal Staff

The embattled Philadelphia Housing Authority has completely restaffed its office of general counsel by hiring two deputy general counsels this week.

Laurence Redican, formerly deputy general counsel for corporate affairs at the New York City Housing Authority, is joining the PHA as the deputy general counsel for transactions, regulatory and administrative matters, according to a news release.

Redican’s staff at the NYCHA was made up of 14 attorneys, and his group prepared or reviewed over 2,000 contracts, leases, franchises, sealed bids and competitive solicitations each year. Redican also has worked as an assistant town attorney for Oyster Bay, N.Y., after his graduation from St. John’s School of Law.

Joffie Pittman, formerly director of human resources and labor relations at Philadelphia Gas Works, is joining the PHA as the deputy general counsel for labor relations, according to a news release. Pittman also worked as an assistant city solicitor for the Philadelphia Law Department, handling civil rights litigation in federal and state court on behalf of the Philadelphia Police Department and the Philadelphia Prison System, and serving as legal counsel to the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and the Philadelphia International Airport. Pittman earned his law degree from the Temple University’s Beasley School of Law.

The PHA, which owns more than 14,000 affordable housing units, came under fire after it was revealed that former PHA Executive Director Carl Greene settled sexual harassment lawsuits without informing the PHA's board, according to court filings. Greene was fired in 2010.

In October, PHA General Counsel Barbara Adams hired her first assistant general counsel, Sherry A. Swirsky. Swirsky, the former general counsel for the School District of Philadelphia, is the deputy general counsel for litigation. Adams became the PHA general counsel on Aug. 1.

Amaris Elliott-Engel can be contacted at 215-557-2354 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @AmarisTLI.