Amid large-scale staff attrition, leadership within the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office is shifting its hiring strategy to draw in more seasoned lawyers through the creation of a lateral hiring committee. 

The new tactic marks a change from the office's usual method of recruiting fresh graduates from prestigious law schools, and committee chair Nancy Winkelman said she is optimistic about the effort. Others within the office, however, doubt that the committee will do much to address the deeper issues that have led to the exodus in the first place.