Mayor Jim Kenney
today accepted the resignation of City Solicitor Sozi Pedro Tulante, and announced the appointment of Marcel S. Pratt, currently Chair of the Law Department’s Litigation Group, to succeed Tulante as Solicitor. The Mayor’s appointment is subject to City Council’s confirmation.
“I am indebted to Sozi Pedro Tulante for his two years leading the Law Department,” said Mayor Kenney. “He has expanded the number of attorneys in the Child Welfare Unit, promoted diversity in hiring and within the office, boosted morale among the entire staff, strengthened the relationship with Council, and spearheaded the revival of the Department’s affirmative litigation practice. In doing so, he brought dynamic litigation on behalf of the City to protect the rights of Philadelphia residents and taxpayers. While I’m truly sorry to see Sozi leave, I am confident his legacy will benefit the City for years to come".
“I am equally confident in the leadership of Marcel Pratt, who has played a key role in some of our most complex cases since the beginning of his tenure, including his successful defense of the Philadelphia Beverage Tax. I know Marcel will continue the challenging yet rewarding work the Law Department has taken on these past two years and I look forward to his confirmation as Solicitor by City Council.” - Mayor Kenny.
Among the affirmative litigation cases filed by the Law Department during Tulante’s tenure are: a federal lawsuit against one of the country’s largest banking institutions alleging that it engaged in discriminatory lending practices; a lawsuit against prescription opioid manufacturers engaged in deceptive marketing practices that fueled the opioid epidemic in Philadelphia; a lawsuit against U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to stop the AG from adding unlawful conditions to federal Byrne JAG grants based on the City’s immigration policies; and a lawsuit against the Department of Defense for its failure to report information on a database to keep guns from the hands of people who have military convictions or have been dishonorably discharged.
