Larry Krasner.

As Larry Krasner prepares to take over as Philadelphia's district attorney, multiple sources say he is beginning to finalize his leadership team.

Krasner, who is set to step into his role as district attorney on Jan. 2, has stayed mostly silent about his selection process for top deputies. But according to several sources he has begun to enter the final stages of interviewing and making offers to several candidates for leadership positions.

According to sources, the possible candidates come from both outside and inside the office, and may include some former prosecutors already familiar with the District Attorney's Office in Philadelphia. But specific names in contention for high-level positions were being held close to the vest.

Krasner, a former civil rights and criminal defense attorney without experience as a prosecutor, was elected on a platform promising sweeping change. His success in implementing that platform and running the day-to-day affairs of the office, observers said, would depend greatly on whom he selects as his top brass.

In addition to selecting top assistants, Krasner may choose to revise the DA's Office organizational chart. During his campaign, Krasner said he would consider structural changes to office administration, and that his office might eschew the current system of having a first assistant as the main officer directly underneath the district attorney position.

Ben Waxman, a spokesman for Krasner, declined to give specifics about the process, except to say that it is ongoing.

“Obviously, we're getting closer and closer to Jan. 2, and we feel good about where we are at this point in terms of accessing what the needs are of the office and how to address those,” he said. “We've had a very deliberative and careful process.”

Along with finalizing the top tier of his cabinet, Krasner has also taken steps to review current personnel.

BigTrial.net, a blog hosted by journalist Ralph Cipriano, first reported that Krasner's transition team has been reviewing hundreds of personnel files since early December in anticipation of the change. The article cited a Nov. 29 email that current First Assistant John Delaney sent to members of the office notifying them that Krasner's transition team had obtained permission from interim-District Attorney Kelley Hodge to review the personnel files, and that the review would begin the following week.

The timing of the transition efforts are similar to those undertaken last year by state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who was similarly taking over an office from an interim leader after former Attorney General Kathleen Kane was convicted for perjury and abusing her office. The last elected district attorney in Philadelphia, R. Seth Williams, was convicted on a bribery charge earlier this year.

By December 2016, Shapiro had assembled a transition team that spent the following six weeks identifying existing members of the office and interviewing prospective outside candidates for high-level positions.

Jeff Jubelirer, vice president of Bellevue Communications Group and a political observer, said that, when it comes to Krasner's transition, the attention may be heightened given Krasner's reform agenda, but he said the transition and the timing of the review are not unusual.

“The more he's doing now the better, so he doesn't get off on the wrong foot,” Jubelirer said. “You want to start and say, 'Let's go,' and not, 'I have to learn what the office is about.'”

Jubelirer also said that, oftentimes, not all of the positions are filled immediately, but the review process continues into the first few weeks of the new administration.

Late last month, Krasner announced who would be leading his transition team. The list included some expected names, but it also included some surprises, such as former Pennsylvania Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille.

The two co-chairs of his team are retired Philadelphia City Councilwoman Marian Tasco, and Chris Woods, the executive vice president of District 1199C, National Union for Hospital and Healthcare Employees. Serving on the team as well are Castille, prominent defense attorney Michael Coard, Philadelphia's managing director Michael DiBerardinis, city Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and Charles Gibbs, president of the Philadelphia Barristers' Association, among others.

Along with a strong representation from the criminal justice bar, Krasner's team also includes several members the employment law bar, including Greenblatt, Pierce, Funt & Flores partner Patricia Pierce and Ryan Hancock of Willig, Williams & Davidson.

“You've got to be careful of who is let go and who you bring in,” Krasner said during an interview with The Legal following the announcement. “That's a priority when you're trying to achieve culture change in an office that hasn't changed orientation in three decades.”