The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking to fill a Paralegal position for its Mental Health Litigation Division (MHLD) Trial Panel Oversight and Support Unit. The Trial Panel Oversight and Support Unit assigns counsel to approximately 4400 civil commitment clients per year in defense of commitment Petitions filed in the District and Municipal Courts and supports a panel of attoreneys representing clients in Guardianship and other proceedings in the Probate & Family Court.
The Paralegal is responsible for communicating with and providing information to callers to the MHLD intake telephone line and assisting Staff Counsel with the oversight and support of Mental Health Litigation Panel attorneys.
This position will be located at either the Salem or Boston offices of CPCS, depending on the needs of the office and successful candidate.
We fight for equal justice and human dignity by supporting our clients in achieving their legal and life goals. We zealously advocate for the rights of individuals and promote just public policy to protect the rights of all.
Our Values
Courage • Accountability • Respect • Excellence
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT
CPCS is committed to protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of our assigned clients through zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense, and the fullness of excellent legal representation. We are dedicated to building and maintaining strong professional relationships, while striving to accept, listen to and respect the diverse circumstances of each client, as we dedicate ourselves to meeting their individual needs. It is our CPCS mission to achieve these goals, and in furtherance thereof, we embrace and endorse diversity, equity and inclusion as our core values as we maintain a steadfast commitment to: (1) Ensure that CPCS management and staff members represent a broad range of human differences and experience; (2) Provide a work climate that is respectful and supports success; and (3) Promote the dignity and well-being of all staff members. CPCS leadership is responsible for ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion. The ability to achieve these goals with any level of certainty is ultimately the responsibility of each member of the CPCS community.
AGENCY OVERVIEW
CPCS is the state agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing an attorney when the state or federal constitution or a state statute requires the appointment of an attorney for a person who cannot afford to retain one. The agency provides representation in criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, family regulation, guardianship, mental health, sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry cases, as well as in appeals and post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings related to those matters.
The clients we represent are diverse across every context imaginable and bring many unique cultural dimensions to the matters we address. This reality creates a critical need for CPCS staff to be culturally competent and able to work well with people of different races, ethnicities, genders and/or sexual orientation identities, abilities, and limited English proficiency, among other protected characteristics.
DIVISION AND OFFICE OVERVIEW
The Mental Health Litigation Division provides counsel to clients who are defending against Petitions for involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations as well as Petitions for the appointments of guardian for adults. The Trial Panel Oversight and Support Unit assigns counsel to approximately 4400 civil commitment clients per year in defense of commitment Petitions filed in the District and Municipal Courts. The Trial Panel Oversight and Support Unit also provides information to individuals concerning the admission process for both voluntary and involuntary admission to psychiatric facilities. In addition, the Trial Panel Oversight and Support Unit certifies and provides oversight and support to a panel of approximately 300 private panel attorneys who represent clients in Guardianships and other proceedings in the Probate & Family Court.
The Paralegal is responsible for communicating with, and providing information to, callers to the MHLD intake telephone line. The Paralegal supports the mission of the Unit by providing clear information to callers about the hospital admission process as well as the timing of assignment of counsel and scheduling of hearings for civil commitment cases. The Paralegal is a key member of the Unit team responsible for communicating effectively with clients, hospital staff, panel attorneys, court personnel. The Paralegal also assists with the oversight and support of the trial panel by working with the Unit’s Staff Counsel on drafting practice advisories, organizing litigation resources for use by trial panel attorneys, reviewing applications for certification trainings as well as monitoring court docket information as assigned by Staff Counsel.
This is a full time 35 hour per week position which reports to the Staff Counsel II. This position will be located at either the Salem or Boston offices of CPCS, depending on the needs of the office and successful candidate.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Answering telephone calls from individuals in psychiatric hospitals and providing callers with basic information about their legal rights and the hospital admission process;
• Returning calls to individuals who left voice-mail messages on the MHLD intake telephone line;
• Providing referral information for outside agencies to callers and clients seeking services not provided directly by MHLD private counsel, CPCS staff attorneys, or other private counsel;
• Screening all telephone calls to the intake telephone line and consulting with Staff Counsel and/or the Trial Panel Director regarding legal action that may be taken, or advice sought by callers or clients on unusual situations;
• Contacting psychiatric facilities to verify information concerning hospital admission status of callers to intake line;
• Assigning counsel from MHLD lists for clients who qualify for counsel based upon their involuntary hospital admission status;
• Reviewing Probate Court electronic docket information to assist Staff Counsel with oversight of panel attorneys;
• Providing support to MHLD Staff Counsel for the review of applications for certification trainings;
• Acting as backup to the assignment team;
• Maintaining accurate electronic records of work performed;
• Organizing and maintaining litigation-related resource for trial panel attorneys:
• Assisting Staff Counsel in the preparation of practice advisories, tool kits, training materials, and other trial practice aids; and,
• Other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
The ideal candidate will be a person who is both highly organized and detail-oriented and enjoys interacting with people in a friendly work environment and will take satisfaction from working in an agency which is committed to protecting the fundamental legal rights of indigent persons.
Candidates must have:
• A Bachelor’s degree or Paralegal certificate;
• Access to reliable transportation in order to travel to locations that are not easily accessible by public transportation; and,
• Access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely.
Substitution: Two years of paralegal experience may be substituted for the degree/certificate.
QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS
Candidates should possess:
• A desire to assist individual who are in the midst of the high stress and high stakes situation of an involuntary admission to a psychiatric facility;
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint);
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, meet deadlines, and deliver high-quality work:
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written;
• Strong organizational abilities;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and to exercise considerable judgment and discretion;
• Ability to learn when to consult with other members of the team for time sensitive or unusual issues;
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with both internal CPCS employees as well as hospital staff, court personnel, and panel and staff attorneys; and,
• Good problem-solving skills.
EEO Statement
The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran or military status, genetic information, gender identity, or sexual orientation as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other applicable federal and state statutes and organizational policies. Applicants who have questions about equal employment opportunity or who need reasonable accommodations can contact the Chief Human Resources Officer.
To be considered for this position, please apply at: https://careers-publiccounsel.icims.com/jobs/2434/paralegal---mhld-trial...