The Private Counsel Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the Massachusetts public defender agency, is seeking to fill a Supervising Staff Attorney position in its Alternative Commitment and Registration Support Unit, located in Malden, Massachusetts. Candidates must have sufficient trial experience so they may supervise all Trial Attorney staff.
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.
OFFICE OVERVIEW
The Alternative Commitment and Registration Support Unit (ACRSU) is committed to ensuring that every indigent adult and youth in Massachusetts has access to zealous legal representation when facing “sexually dangerous person” (SDP) civil commitment and sex offender registry board (SORB) classification proceedings from hearings and trials to appeals at all levels. The ACRSU oversees, supports, and trains private panel attorneys to represent clients in SORB and SDP cases and assigns private counsel to these cases, as needed. The ACRSU also consists of a litigation unit with a group of staff attorneys who represent clients in SDP jury trials in Superior Court. The ACRSU provides leadership in the specialized areas of SORB and SDP litigation defense.
The ACRSU Office, located in Malden, is approximately four miles away from downtown Boston. The office is centrally located in the heart of the Malden civic center and has excellent highway accessibility (Route 93, Route 28, and Route 60) while also being in close proximity to the Malden Square MBTA train station and a MBTA bus stop.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The ACRSU, Malden Office, is seeking a Supervising Staff Attorney, with a minimum of five years of litigation experience including experience providing representation to clients in proceedings under G.L. c. 123A (Sexually Dangerous Persons Cases). Under the direction of the office’s Director, the Supervising Staff Attorney will supervise Trial Attorneys and paralegal staff in the ACRSU who represent clients in G.L. c. 123A proceedings and will also have his or her own reduced caseload. The Supervising Staff Attorney supervises both newer and experienced staff Trial Attorneys, who practice in Superior Court, in every facet of our legal representation in G.L. c. 123A proceedings to ensure that we provide zealous and effective advocacy of and for every assigned case and client.
Additionally, the Supervising Staff Attorney will support the Director of the ACRSU in meeting the ACRSU’s training goals for panel attorneys and CPCS staff attorneys.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Supervising Staff Attorney will supervise Trial Attorneys and paralegal staff in addition to their case responsibilities. The Supervising Staff Attorney must be capable of supervising new Trial Attorneys as well as experienced Trial Attorneys representing clients in proceedings under G.L. c. 123A and must possess sufficient jury trial experience and skill to be able to supervise, assist, and mentor trial attorneys in the development of trial strategies, motions practice, and myriad other tasks that trial lawyers must undertake.
The direct representation duties of the Supervising Staff Attorney include:
Full legal representation of indigent clients previously convicted of sexual offenses including counseling and all stages of litigation;
Legal research and writing;
Pretrial investigation including locating and interviewing witnesses, collecting and reviewing documentary evidence;
Preparing and arguing pretrial motions, affidavits and legal memoranda;
Dispositional investigations and advocacy;
Jury trials;
Representation of clients in interlocutory proceedings;
Retaining and working with expert witnesses;
Mastering and remaining current with the developing body of empirical science relating to sex offender evaluation, treatment, and recidivism; and,
Remaining familiar with community resources willing to work with convicted sex offenders, and assisting clients to develop community supports in anticipation of potential release.
The supervisory duties of the Supervising Staff Attorney include, but are not limited to:
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 and promoting staff professional development;
Provide training to CPCS Trial Attorneys and private panel attorneys in conjunction with Director of the ACRSU;
Supervision of other staff, such as paralegal, administrative staff, student interns, as delegated by the ACRSU Director;
Supporting the ACRSU Director in meeting the Unit’s annual goals; and,
Other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
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 in litigation including significant experience in litigating G.L. c. 123A cases or sexually dangerous persons cases in Superior Courts in MA or other jurisdictions;
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.
Candidates must have sufficient trial experience in 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 G.L. c. 123A cases in Superior Court;
Commitment to working with a culturally diverse, low-income population,
A demonstrated commitment to the principle of zealous advocacy in therepresentation of indigent persons in G.L c. 123A 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 Chief Human Resources Officer
To be considered for this position, please apply at https://careers-publiccounsel.icims.com/jobs/2357/supervising-staff-atto...