The Training Department is seeking two attorneys with experience in family regulation law to be Legal Training Attorneys in the Children and Family Law (CAFL) Practice Area. The CAFL Training Unit is based in Boston but this position may be seated anywhere in the Commonwealth in available CPCS office space.
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.
DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW
The CPCS Training Department provides high quality training to all staff and private assigned counsel. The Training Department, led by the Training Chief, includes four practice area Training Units - Criminal Defense, Children and Family Law, Youth Advocacy and Mental Health Litigation – all of which are overseen by individual Training Directors, and six cross practice area working groups chaired and staffed by Training Department personnel. CPCS enjoys a well-deserved national reputation for its skills-based training. In addition to providing substantive and skills training to attorneys, the Training Department ensures that all other professional staff members are provided appropriate training in their areas of expertise. The Training Department also plays a significant role in the provision of diversity, management, supervision, employment law, and other training to staff and private assigned counsel.
POSITION OVERVIEW
Children and Family Law Legal Training Attorneys work collaboratively to educate, train, enable, empower, and support children and family law attorneys so they may provide excellent representation and client-centered advocacy to the agency’s clients. Children and Family Law Legal Training Attorneys serve staff and private lawyers accepting appointments through the Children and Family Law Division of CPCS.
The Legal Training Attorney reports to the Children and Family Law Training Director.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Duties of the Children and Family Law Legal Training Attorney include, but are not limited to:
• Planning, teaching and coaching at CAFL’s certification training programs and specialized training events;
• Participating in children and family law training needs assessments;
• Working collaboratively with CAFL’s trial and appellate panel support units and staff offices to deliver training and support other initiatives;
• Overseeing and supporting trainings presented by the CAFL Resource Attorneys;
• Designing, revising and delivering training workshops for private attorneys and staff;
• Assisting with training projects for support staff and management/leadership training events;
• Writing and editing training materials and other written resources for CAFL practitioners;
• Assisting with the development and maintenance of CAFL web-based training and resource initiatives;
• Collaborating cross-divisionally and with specialized units to provide exceptional and current trainings that support the zealous representation of clients across CPCS;
• May maintain a small CAFL caseload; and,
• Other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
• Must be eligible 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;
• A minimum of 3 years full-time experience representing children and parents in child welfare/family regulation matters;
• Access to reliable transportation in order to travel to various training locations and courts across the Commonwealth; and,
• Access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely.
Applicants should submit a resume, writing sample and a letter of interest which includes information about your experience in the aforementioned areas.
QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS
A successful candidate will have experience in some or all of the areas listed below:
• Significant litigation and trial experience;
• Cultural sensitivity/competence and/or diversity and inclusion training, course work, and other relevant experience;
• Experience as a presenter or coach at training programs or at in-house office training sessions;
• Appellate and administrative law experience;
• Excellent writing, litigation, and oral presentation skills;
• Exceptional organizational ability;
• Exceptional interpersonal skills;
• Curriculum development; and,
• Technological proficiency including distance learning.
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 Chief Human Resources Officer.
To be considered for this position, please apply at: https://careers-publiccounsel.icims.com/jobs/2552/legal-training-attorne...