********************ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY DIRECTLY THROUGH THE CPCS iCIMS WEBSITE. IF YOU DO NOT COMPLETE THE CPCS iCIMS APPLICATION, YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION. DO NOT USE THE DIRECT APPLY LINK THAT BRINGS YOU TO MASS CAREERS. PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO APPLY (CUT AND PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER IF THE EMBEDDED LINK DOES NOT WORK): https://careers-publiccounsel.icims.com/jobs/2262/staff-counsel-ii-trial-panel-support-unit-cafl-boston/job********************

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the Massachusetts public defender agency, is seeking a skilled and experienced child welfare attorney to serve on the Children and Family Law Division’s (CAFL) Trial Panel Support Unit (TPSU). The TPSU provides leadership, oversight, and support to the 800-plus private attorneys who represent CPCS clients in family regulation/child welfare and other civil matters involving children, young adults, and their families.

Staff Counsel II in the TPSU help support private CAFL trial attorneys throughout the state to provide high-quality, zealous representation to children and indigent parents in all CAFL cases who represent CPCS clients in family regulation/child welfare and other civil matters involving children, young adults, and their families.

Staff Counsel II in the TPSU help support private CAFL trial attorneys throughout the state to provide high-quality, zealous representation to children and indigent parents in all CAFL cases.

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.

CHILDREN AND FAMILY LAW DIVISION OVERVIEW

CPCS’s Children and Family Law Division provides attorneys to children and adults in care and protection, termination of parental rights, child requiring assistance, and guardianship-of-a-minor cases, as well as in other civil matters involving children and young adults in which there is a right to an attorney. It also provides counsel in appeals of these cases. At the trial level, the vast majority of CAFL clients are represented by private attorneys who are part of CAFL’s trial panel, and most trial-level CAFL cases are heard in the Juvenile Court. On appeal, most CAFL clients are represented by private appellate attorneys on CAFL’s appellate panel.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The TPSU Staff Counsel II provides support and oversight to attorneys on CAFL’s private attorney trial panels while working to ensure that they are provided the resources and tools they need on behalf of their clients. As a member of the TPSU, the Staff Counsel II works with other members of the team to do a variety of things including overseeing the CAFL mentor program, answering advice calls from private trial panel members and working with the CAFL Resource Attorneys from each county to support the private panel attorneys.

The Staff Counsel II reports to the CAFL Trial Panel Director.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

• Applicants 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;
• Applicants must have a minimum of five years’ legal experience, including at least four years of family regulation/child welfare experience;
• Applicants must also have access to reliable transportation throughout the state; and,
• Access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

• Ten years of legal experience, including at least seven years of experience in family regulation/child welfare matters;
• Have a commitment to serve racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse low-income populations;
• Ability to maintain a professional and supportive relationship with the private bar and be ready to serve as a leader when working with the courts, the Department of Children and Families, and professional and community organizations;
• Significant litigation and trial experience;
• Private panel experience is a plus;
• Willingness to travel within Massachusetts;
• Excellent writing, litigation, and oral presentation skills; and,
• Consistently maintaining an optimistic outlook along with the humor, integrity, patience and perseverance necessary to advance TPSU efforts to ensure that clients are provided high quality legal services.

Interested candidates should submit a written statement of interest, resume, and legal writing sample, and the names of at least two (2) professional references (who are not judges). The letter of interest should include a description of the candidate’s trial, appellate, administrative and other experience. Candidates with ties to central or western Massachusetts should describe them.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assisting in the support and oversight of the CAFL trial panel;
• Providing advice and technical assistance to panel attorneys;
• Helping to ensure that CAFL panel attorneys comply with the CAFL Performance Standards;
• Coordinating the Mentoring Program in assigned counties;
• Working with Resource Attorneys in assigned counties to help meet the needs of the local bar and facilitate communication with the local courts;
• Evaluating applications for CAFL Certification Trainings;
• Assisting the CAFL Training Unit in presenting programs;
• Preparing and providing information about administrative changes and policies to private attorneys;
• Assisting in developing and updating resource materials for the CAFL web site;
• Conducting and coordinating performance reviews of CAFL panel attorneys statewide;
• Assisting in drafting and publicizing CAFL Performance Standards;
• Assisting with developing policies;
• Investigating complaints; and,
• Other duties as assigned.

Staff Counsel II in this unit may maintain a small caseload of child welfare trial and/or appellate clients.

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, Ted Waterman.

********************ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY DIRECTLY THROUGH THE CPCS iCIMS WEBSITE. IF YOU DO NOT COMPLETE THE CPCS iCIMS APPLICATION, YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION. DO NOT USE THE DIRECT APPLY LINK THAT BRINGS YOU TO MASS CAREERS. PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO APPLY (CUT AND PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER IF THE EMBEDDED LINK DOES NOT WORK): https://careers-publiccounsel.icims.com/jobs/2262/staff-counsel-ii-trial-panel-support-unit-cafl-boston/job********************