Number of Applicants
:000+
The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking an Attorney in Charge for its Family Justice Advocates (FJA) office in Worcester, Massachusetts. FJA is CPCS’ Children and Family Law Division (CAFL) “conflicts office” in Worcester. The Attorney in Charge will lead and supervise a multidisciplinary team in providing high quality representation to children and parents in family regulation 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
C ourage • A ccountability • R espect • E xcellence
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
Family Justice Advocates is CAFL’s Worcester County Conflicts Trial Office, located in Worcester, Massachusetts. FJA provides legal representation to children and indigent parents and guardians in family regulation/child welfare cases in which (a) a CAFL staff attorney in a non-conflict office has been appointed to another party to the case or (b) a conflict of interest prevents CAFL staff attorneys in non-conflict offices from representing any party in the case. For example, an attorney in FJA may be appointed to represent a parent in the same case in which a staff attorney in CAFL’s existing Worcester trial office represents a child. Alternatively, an attorney in FJA may be appointed to represent a party in a case in which CAFL’s existing Worcester trial office attorneys are unable to represent any party because of conflicts relating to a current or former client of a CPCS staff attorney. FJA is considered a separate law firm from all other CPCS offices for conflict of interest purposes. To this end, it has a separate managerial system, separate physical offices and computer/technology systems, and other mechanisms in place to ensure its separation for conflicts purposes from other CPCS offices.
All CAFL trial offices, including FJA, are robust defender teams, including attorneys, paralegals, social workers, and administrative support staff. They provide legal representation and advocacy throughout Massachusetts to children and indigent parents in care and protection, child requiring assistance, termination of parental rights, and guardianship-of-a-minor cases, as well as other types of custody and adoption proceedings. Team members work diligently to help and support FJA clients to achieve their legal and life goals.
The office is centrally located in the City of Worcester and is within walking distance of Union Station, which hosts WRTA bus service and MBTA commuter rail service. Worcester – New England’s second largest city (with just over 200,000 people) – is the home of the Worcester Red Sox (nicknamed the WooSox), the Triple-A East Division affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The Woo Sox often host Red Sox players on rehab assignments. Worcester is also the home of the Worcester Railers, a minor league hockey team affiliated with the New York Islanders. Worcester also has an exciting restaurant, concert, and event scene, as well as eight colleges and universities. It also has a world-class art museum, many nearby farms and orchards, and affordable rents.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Attorney in Charge (AIC) oversees the Family Justice Advocates Worcester trial office to fully address the legal needs of the office’s clients as well as representing individual clients. The AIC plays a significant leadership role by managing the local office, helping with the management of FJA as a whole, representing individual clients, and working closely with the private bar and Worcester County courts to build a strong community of family regulation defenders.
The AIC must be an experienced manager who excels at supporting, mentoring, and motivating legal and other office staff; developing processes that facilitate the efficient and effective delivery of legal services by staff; and leading teams that work closely with children, parents and caretakers who are experiencing governmental interference.
The AIC will report directly to the Family Justice Advocates Managing Director. The AIC will be expected to participate in regular meetings with other FJA AICs, the local CAFL Resource Attorneys, and the CAFL management team. The AIC also will collaborate extensively with private assigned counsel.
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS
The ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:
RESPONSIBILITIES
Management and Leadership Responsibilities:
Client Representation Responsibilities:
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, Sandra DeBow-Huang, at
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