The Mental Health Litigation Division (MHLD) is accepting applications for a 24-month temporary Trial Attorney position. This is a full-time opportunity which is benefits eligible and may be seated in either the Northampton or Worcester Commitment Unit, depending on the needs of the offices and selected attorney.
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 each member of the CPCS community.
AGENCY & DIVISION 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, child welfare, 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 Mental Health Litigation Division is committed to protecting the legal and constitutional rights of people facing civil commitment to mental hospitals, guardianships, and involuntary treatment including the administration of antipsychotic medications. Mental Health Litigation Division Trial Attorneys receive training in issues relating to mental health and the statutory and constitutional rights of our clients.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Mental Health Litigation Division is accepting applications for a 24-month temporary Trial Attorney position. This is a full-time opportunity which is benefits eligible and may be seated in either the Northampton or Worcester Commitment Unit, depending on the needs of the offices and selected attorney. Mental Health Litigation Division Trial Attorneys provide zealous representation in mental health cases, primarily to indigent persons in proceedings seeking the initial commitment to, continued confinement at, or authorization to treat by, psychiatric facilities operated by the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, Department of Mental Health (DMH), and private psychiatric facilities licensed by DMH. Attorneys will appear primarily in District and Municipal Court sessions conducted at facilities for which the Unit is responsible or in Superior Court divisions within the county in which the facilities are located, but may be required to represent clients in proceedings emanating from other facilities and conducted in other courts of the Commonwealth. Trial Attorneys may also represent clients in appeals to the Appellate Divisions of the District and Municipal Courts.
The clients we represent are diverse across many contexts including race, nationality, gender, and religion. They bring many unique cultural dimensions to the matters we address. This reality creates a critical need for CPCS attorneys to be culturally competent and able to work well with people of different races, ethnicities, abilities, gender identities and gender expressions and people with limited English proficiency, among other characteristics.
OFFICE OVERVIEWS
The Worcester Commitment Unit is located in downtown Worcester, a five-time recipient of the All-American City Award. It is New England’s second largest city and combines the historic charm of a small town with the conveniences of a thriving metropolis. With more than 70 cultural venues, including world-class museums, concert halls, theaters, renowned breweries, and over 100 local restaurants, it also provides a central location from which to visit all of New England, located 45 minutes from both Boston and Rhode Island.
The Worcester Commitment Unit is responsible for civil commitments filed in the Worcester & Marlborough District Courts for individuals facing civil commitments to Worcester Recovery Center & Hospital (Dept. of Mental Health), UMASS Memorial Inpatient Psychiatric Units, St. Vincent Hospital, Marlborough Hospital and the Hospital for Behavioral Medicine and other hospitals as assigned.
The Northampton Commitment Unit is located in the heart of the city of Northampton, which provides a sophisticated rural lifestyle combined with the cultural, artistic, academic, and culinary amenities of a big city. It offers more restaurants, eclectic shops, galleries, theaters, and performance venues than most urban centers ten times its size. You will also find two rivers, mountain views, landscaped parks, and meadow walks. It provides a unique and charming combination of natural and cultural activities that should not be missed.
The Northampton Commitment Unit is responsible for civil commitments filed in the District Courts for individuals facing civil commitments to Baystate Medical Center, Baystate Franklin, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Providence Hospital, Vibra Hospital of Western Mass, Holyoke Hospital and other hospitals in Western Massachusetts.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Duties of MHLD Trial Attorneys include, but are not limited to:
Visiting with and interviewing clients at the facilities;
Conducting pre-trial investigation and discovery, including reviewing facility and other medical and psychiatric records, and interviewing facility staff;
Working extensively with forensic psychiatric and psychological clinicians;
Locating and interviewing witnesses and consulting with service providers;
Conducting legal research and writing; and,
Representing clients in pretrial proceedings, hearings, and interlocutory appeals.
Trial Attorneys will be supervised by, and report to, the Commitment Unit Attorney in Charge
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must be committed to serving a culturally diverse, low-income population and must be eligible to practice law in Massachusetts, either as a member of the Massachusetts bar or as an attorney licensed in another jurisdiction who is covered by Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:04;
All Trial Attorney positions require travel; access to reliable transportation throughout the commonwealth is necessary; and,
Access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely.
QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS
Foreign language skills to support interaction with limited English proficient groups in the region are desirable;
Trial experience in mental health cases is preferred;
Strong interpersonal and analytical skills; and,
Ability to work in a community and defense-oriented capacity, both independently and collaboratively.
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 interim Director of Human Resources Management, Mark Conlon, at [email protected]
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