The Strategic Litigation Unit (SLU) of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, the Massachusetts public defender agency, is seeking an experienced attorney with a strong sense of the daily injustices faced by CPCS’ clients and bold and creative ideas on how to fight them. The SLU Staff Counsel I will be responsible for pursuing litigation to address systemic issues, as well as assisting attorneys from other CPCS units who have cases of strategic importance. This will likely involve criminal and civil litigation, at both the trial and appellate levels.
This position will be seated in one of CPCS’ offices, dependent upon the candidate’s preference and space availability in the office.
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 DESCRIPTION
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.
UNIT OVERVIEW
The Strategic Litigation Unit focuses on the right to counsel and the elimination of systemic injustices impacting CPCS clients. The SLU attempts to remove obstacles faced by CPCS clients through litigation, data collection and analysis, and attorney support. The SLU also oversees CPCS’s police misconduct database which provides defense attorneys background information regarding law enforcement.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The SLU seeks an experienced attorney with a strong sense of the daily injustices faced by CPCS’ clients and bold and creative ideas on how to fight them. The SLU Staff Counsel I will be responsible for pursuing litigation to address systemic issues, as well as assisting attorneys from other CPCS units who have cases of strategic importance. This will likely involve criminal and civil litigation, at both the trial and appellate levels, and in both state and federal court.
This position will be seated in one of CPCS’ offices, dependent upon the candidate’s preference and space availability in the office.
The Staff Counsel I reports directly to the Director of the Strategic Litigation Unit.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Working with the Director of the SLU, the SLU Staff Counsel will:
• Identifying issues of systemic importance in all of CPCS’ practice areas;
• Initiating and pursuing litigation to address these issues of systemic importance;
• Preparing appellants' and occasionally appellees' briefs, reply briefs, and applications for rehearing, for reconsideration, and for direct and further appellate review;
• Arguing before the Appeals Court and the Supreme Judicial Court;
• Responding to, or participating in, impact litigation brought by others;
• Assisting both staff and private counsel attorneys in identifying issues of strategic importance and making an adequate record to support litigation of those issues;
• Following cases through the appellate process, including filing briefs and arguing in the appellate courts;
• Producing advisory memoranda for staff and private attorneys on issues of systemic importance;
• Training private and staff attorneys on how to develop and litigate challenges to matters of systemic impact; and,
• Other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Candidates must be driven to seek sustainable systemic and institutional reform on behalf of CPCS’ clients. Candidates must possess an advocacy imagination unrestrained by traditional litigation approaches.
In addition, candidates must have the following attributes:
• A minimum of four years’ experience as an attorney, including trial court litigation;
• Eligibility to practice law in this jurisdiction as a member of the Massachusetts bar in good standing, or as an attorney in another jurisdiction who is eligible to engage in limited Massachusetts practice under Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:04;
• Access to reliable transportation throughout the state; and
• Access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely.
QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS
Preference will be given to candidates who have experience in civil trial litigation, multiple practice areas, forums, and/or jurisdictions. Candidates are expected to have excellent litigation, writing, oral presentation, organizational, and interpersonal skills. Candidates should be willing to work nights and weekends in response to emergency case demands.
Applications will be strengthened by substantial experience in constitutional, civil rights, class action, or other impact litigation.
This position will require travel; candidates must have access to reliable transportation throughout the state.
Applicants must submit (1) a résumé, (2) a statement of interest that describes how the applicant’s qualifications are pertinent to strategic litigation; and (3) a writing sample of no more than fifteen pages which has not been substantially edited by anyone other than the applicant.
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/2472/staff-counsel-i---stra...