The Children and Family Law Division (CAFL) of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the Massachusetts public defender agency, is seeking an experienced attorney to help promote the high-quality representation of children and adults in family regulation/child welfare appeals. The attorney will be a core member of the CAFL Appellate Panel Support Unit (APSU), which provides support and oversight for approximately 150 private attorneys who represent children and adults in family regulation/child welfare appellate matters.
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
CPCS is seeking a Staff Counsel II for the Children and Family Law Division Appellate Panel Support Unit. Staff Counsel II in the APSU support private CAFL appellate attorneys throughout the state to provide high-quality, zealous representation to children and adults in all CAFL appellate cases. Staff Counsel II will review briefs, moot court oral arguments, observe and critique oral arguments, draft appellate practice tips, train CAFL attorneys on trial and appellate subjects, and provide other forms of support for private counsel and the overall administration of the Unit.
The Staff Counsel II position reports to the Director of the CAFL Appellate Panel Support Unit and may be seated at CPCS’s Federal Street, Boston office depending on the needs of the selected candidate and the Unit, and the availability of office space.
Who are we looking for:
The ideal candidate for this position will demonstrate a deep connection to CPCS’s mission of client-centered, inclusive public defense. The ideal candidate must be able to create, maintain, and thrive in an atmosphere of courage, accountability, respect, and excellence.
The ideal candidate will be an experienced appellate attorney who excels at supporting, mentoring, and motivating private appellate counsel; training attorneys on trial, appellate, and family regulation/child welfare matters; and assisting the CAFL Director of Appellate Panel Support Unit with administration of the Unit. In addition, the ideal candidate will have a clear understanding of the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Staff Counsel II will assist the CAFL Director of Appellate Panel Support Unit in all aspects of panel management, including, but not limited to:
Overseeing and assessing the performance of appellate panel members;
Monitoring panel members’ compliance with performance standards;
Advising trial and appellate mentors and panel members about case strategy;
Supervising the appellate panel mentor program and evaluating panel members to determine graduation from the program;
Reviewing briefs, moot-courting panel members, and evaluating oral arguments;
Reviewing applications for admission to the panel certification training;
Delivering training programs on family regulation/child welfare trial and appellate issues for panel members and CPCS staff attorneys;
Drafting appellate bulletins and providing other resources for trial and appellate panel members, including a legal research/motion resource bank and a single justice pleadings resource bank;
Serving as liaison with the clerks’ offices at the trial courts, the Appeals Court, and the Supreme Judicial Court;
Administering appellate panel operational activities, including recruitment, certification, appellate assignments, billing, and the assignment of appellate mentors;
Supervising student workers (intern/coop/other);
Drafting Division/agency amicus curiae briefs; and,
Other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
The candidate must demonstrate a strong commitment to the provision of high-quality representation for indigent persons and meet the following requirements:
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;
Have a minimum of five years of experience as an attorney, including at least four years of family regulation/child welfare experience and three years of appellate experience;
Staff Counsel II positions may require travel; must have access to reliable transportation throughout the state; and,
Have access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely.
QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS
The ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:
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;
Be able 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;
Experience drafting and filing of several briefs, single justice petitions, and other appellate pleadings;
Some administrative and managerial experience;
Private CPCS panel or other private practice experience;
Excellent writing, litigation, and oral presentation skills; and,
The ability to maintain an optimistic outlook along with the humor, integrity, patience and perseverance necessary to advance APSU efforts to ensure that clients are provided high-quality legal services.
Application:
Applicants should submit (1) a resume, (2) a thoughtful written statement of interest, and (3) a writing sample of not more than 50 pages that is predominantly the applicant’s own work.
This position will be posted until filled; however, preference will be given to candidates who apply prior to August 29, 2022.
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, at [email protected]
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