The Public Defender Division of CPCS, Berkshire (Pittsfield) Office, is seeking a Supervising Staff Attorney with a minimum of five years of experience providing criminal defense representation. The ideal candidate will have sufficient trial experience in both the District and Superior Courts so they may supervise all Trial Attorney staff.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT
CPCS is committed to protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of its clients by providing zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense, and excellent representation. In fulfilling its mission, CPCS is committed to fostering diversity at all levels of the agency. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients, to
understand their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. In striving always to
achieve those goals, CPCS embraces diversity and inclusion as core values and is steadfast in our commitment to: (1) ensuring that CPCS management and staff members represent a broad range of human difference and experience; (2) providing a work climate that is respectful and that supports success; and (3) promoting the dignity and well-being of all staff members. CPCS’s leadership is responsible for ensuring excellence, diversity, and inclusion. Our ability to achieve those goals depends on efforts of all of us.
OFFICE OVERVIEW
The Public Defender Division of CPCS, Berkshire Office is located in downtown Pittsfield, designated one of the Cultural Districts in Massachusetts. Home to the “Upstreet Cultural District,” downtown Pittsfield is home to two professional theaters, a vibrant visual arts and culinary scene, and regular cultural festivals. Pittsfield is a gateway to the Berkshire Mountains, one of the most beautiful areas in Massachusetts, known for outdoor activities such as hiking, golfing, kayaking, and skiing. Nearby attractions such as Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, and Mass MoCA make the region an exciting place to work and live.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Public Defender Division of CPCS, Berkshire Office, is seeking a Supervising Staff Attorney, with a minimum of five years of experience providing criminal defense representation. Under the direction of the office’s Attorney in Charge, the Supervising Staff Attorney will assist in the supervision of Trial Attorneys, and will also have his or her own reduced caseload. Clients are indigent persons charged with criminal offenses within the final jurisdiction of the respective court.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Supervising Staff Attorney will supervise Trial Attorneys assigned to both District and Superior Court cases in addition to their case responsibilities. The Supervising Staff Attorney must be capable of supervising new Trial Attorneys as well as experienced Trial Attorneys practicing in the Superior Court, particularly around serious felony or otherwise complex cases.
The direct representation duties of the Supervising Staff Attorney include:
-Client interviews;
-Arraignment and bail advocacy;
-Legal research and writing;
-Pretrial investigation including visiting crime scenes, locating and interviewing witnesses, collecting and reviewing documentary evidence;
-Preparing and arguing pretrial motions, affidavits and legal memoranda;
-Dispositional investigations and advocacy;
Jury and bench trials of criminal cases; and,
-Representation of clients in interlocutory proceedings.
The supervisory duties of the Supervising Staff Attorney include, but are not limited to, the following in accordance with the CPCS Guidelines for Supervision of Public Defender Trial Attorneys and the Guidelines for the Implementation of Unified Public Defender Division Offices:
-Regular one-on-one meetings with individual supervisees to review case files, as well as group meetings, to review case preparation and performance;
-In-court supervision, including second-seating of trials and significant pretrial hearings;
-Preparation of annual performance evaluations;
-Presentation of in-office training sessions;
-Supervision of other staff, such as investigators and student interns, as delegated by the office’s Attorney in Charge; and,
Other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
The following attributes are required for the position of Supervising Staff Attorney:
-Must be eligible to practice law in Massachusetts either as a member of the Massachusetts bar in good standing or as the member of the bar of another jurisdiction eligible to engage in limited Massachusetts practice under Supreme Court Rule 3:04;
-A minimum of five years of experience providing criminal defense representation in District and Superior Courts;
-Access to an automobile in order to travel to courts, clients, and investigation
locations that are not easily accessible by public transportation; and,
Access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely.
The ideal candidate will have sufficient trial experience in both the District and Superior Courts so they may supervise all Trial Attorney staff.
QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS
The following attributes are preferred for the position of Supervising Staff Attorney:
-Significant jury trial experience as lead counsel in criminal cases; including Superior Court cases;
-Commitment to working with a culturally diverse, low-income population,
-A demonstrated commitment to the principle of zealous advocacy in the
-representation of indigent persons in criminal cases;
-Ability and commitment to complete annual performance evaluations in a timely and comprehensive manner;
Strong interpersonal and analytical skills;
-Ability to work in community and defense-oriented capacity, both independently and collaboratively; and
-Foreign language skills, Spanish in particular, are desirable.
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 Director of Human Resources Management, Lisa Bacon, at [email protected]