Managing Director - Mental Health Litigation Division

The Committee for Public Counsel Services, the Massachusetts public defender agency, is seeking an experienced mental health attorney with management experience to serve as the Managing Director in its Mental Health Litigation Division. The Managing Director will support and oversee the four Mental Health Litigation Trial Offices located in Brockton, Northampton, Roxbury, and Worcester.

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 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, 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 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 OVERVIEW

The Mental Health Litigation Division (MHLD) provides trial and appellate representation to indigent persons when petitions seeking commitment to public or private psychiatric facilities and petitions seeking to impose guardianships, including authorization to administer or terminate "extraordinary" medical treatment, are filed against them. In commitment proceedings, representation is provided either by MHLD staff attorneys or by private attorneys certified by MHLD to accept such assignments. Almost all representation in guardianship proceedings is provided by MHLD-certified private attorneys.

The Division consists of an Administrative Office, which is responsible for certification, oversight, and training of panel attorneys, the assignment of commitment cases, and effective administration of the Division; an Appellate Unit that certifies, oversees, and trains a panel of appellate attorneys and represents individuals in appeals; and four trial offices that represent indigent clients facing involuntary commitment to both public and private psychiatric facilities throughout the Commonwealth and a limited number of guardianship proceedings.

 he MHLD also trains, and is available to assist, criminal defense attorneys regarding mental health issues that arise in the criminal legal system (e.g., competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, etc.).

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Managing Director (MD) oversees the four MHLD Trial Offices located in Brockton, Northampton, Roxbury, and Worcester and manages various operational and legal issues that arise in those offices. The MD supervises the Attorneys in Charge (AICs) of the Trial Offices and assists the Deputy Chief Counsel in ensuring that MHLD staff representation is effective, client-centered, culturally competent, and meets agency practice standards. The MD reports to the MHLD Deputy Chief Counsel and is a member of the MHLD Leadership Team, which consists of the Trial Panel Director, Director of Mental Health Appeals, Director of Social Services Advocacy, and Training Director. The MD works collaboratively with other MHLD Directors as well as other CPCS legal practice divisions and CPCS legal support and operational units (Training Department, Human Resources, IT, Finance and Facilities, and General Counsel).

RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities of the Managing Director include, but are not limited to:

Providing leadership and support to the Trial Office Attorneys in Charge and assisting them in effectively managing offices to ensure that all staff meet performance and supervision standards; completing annual performance evaluations for all direct reports, and ensuring that direct reports complete annual performance reviews for all assigned staff in a timely and comprehensive manner; and ensuring AICs work collaboratively with HR to address employee relations and performance issues in compliance with the CPCS personnel policies;
Assisting AICs in creating and maintaining a positive workplace environment; creating and promoting professional development opportunities for staff; and overseeing the hiring of attorneys and other staff in the Trial Offices;
Working with the Director of Social Services Advocacy to ensure effective collaboration between Trial Attorneys and Social Services Advocates;
Identifying and addressing systemic issues that may arise in the operation of MHLD offices, including developing and recommending changes to guidelines or performance standards to the Deputy Chief Counsel;
Facilitating strong communication with the MHLD Leadership Team, and conducting regular visits to the assigned offices;
Working with the AICs, Training Department, and the Equity & Inclusion Director to ensure that MHLD staff are culturally competent, sensitive to issues of diversity, and provide client-centered representation;
Developing and implementing a plan to collect and use case-related data to promote high-quality representation, ensuring that office and attorney caseloads are appropriate, and analyzing and reporting regularly on caseload statistics;
Working with the MHLD Deputy Chief Counsel, other MHLD Directors, and other division Deputy Chief Counsel and Managing Directors to develop and execute division policies and strategic plans, and to develop and advance legislative and policy agendas; working collaboratively with other CPCS leaders on cross-divisional and other issues as needed to promote agency goals and objectives; including attendance at AIC, Senior Management Team and Manager and Director Meetings;
Investigating and responding to legal conflicts, legal ethics questions, and complaints regarding attorney and non-attorney staff;
Maintaining a professional relationship and leadership role with the local judiciary and private bar, and working with AICs and local bar leadership to develop and maintain a collaborative working relationship between MHLD offices and bar advocate attorneys;
Working with the MHLD Deputy Chief Counsel to address budget and spending issues and preparing MHLD budget requests and spending plans;
Working with Facilities and IT to address office space and technical needs; and,
Other duties as assigned.