Legal Training Attorney

The Training Department of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking attorneys with experience in criminal defense law for a Legal Training Attorney position in the Criminal Defense Practice Area.  The Training Department is located in Boston but the office location for this position is negotiable and may be sited in any available CPCS office, depending on the needs of the candidate, Training Department, and available 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 Training Department provides high quality training to all staff and private assigned counsel. The Training Department, led by the Training Chief, includes the Appellate Training Director, Forensic Services Unit, as well as four practice area Training Units - Criminal Defense, Children and Family Law, Youth Advocacy, and Mental Health Litigation. The Training Department also leads multiple cross- practice area working groups chaired and staffed by Training Department personnel.  In addition to providing substantive and skill-based training to attorneys, the Training Department ensures all other professional staff members are provided appropriate training in their areas of expertise. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Training Department of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is accepting applications for a Legal Training Attorney position in the Criminal Defense Practice Area. Criminal Defense Legal Training Attorneys in the Training Department work collaboratively to educate, train, enable, empower, and support criminal defense attorneys so they may provide excellent representation and client-centered advocacy to the Agency's clients. The Criminal Defense Legal Training Attorneys serve Public Defender Division staff and private lawyers accepting appointments through the Private Counsel Division of CPCS.

Travel throughout the state for training is required.  A remote work schedule is available when there is no conflict with on-going training.  The Training Department is located in Boston but the office location for this position is negotiable and may be sited in any available CPCS office, depending on the needs of the candidate, Training Department, and available space.

The Legal Training Attorney reports to the Criminal Defense Training Director. 

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;
• Have a minimum of 3 years full-time experience representing indigent defendants in criminal matters (4 years preferred);
• Access to an automobile in order to travel to offices, courts, and training locations that are not easily accessible by public transportation; and,
• Access to home internet access, sufficient to work remotely, and proficiency using zoom and/or other online platforms. 

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

A successful candidate will have experience in some or all of the following areas: 

• Jury trials and significant motions filed and litigated;
• Experience as a presenter or coach at training events (CPCS, MCLE or other programs) or at in-house office training sessions;
• Cultural sensitivity/competence in diversity and equity training, course work, and other relevant experience;
• Participation in internal or external trainings;
• Appellate work such as post-conviction representation, interlocutory appeals, petitions for extraordinary relief, and/or petitions for stay of execution of sentence;
• Four or more years in Juvenile, District and or Superior Court, and if applicable, trial courts in other jurisdictions, as a criminal defense lawyer;
• Significant work with expert witnesses and/or forensic evidence issues;
• Work in specialty courts;
• Author of writings or publications;
• Computer skills, web design, digital media or other technology related skills; and,
• Management, supervision and mentoring. 

An attorney interested in the position should submit a resume, writing sample and a letter of interest which includes information about your experience in the aforementioned areas.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties of the Criminal Defense Legal Training Attorney include, but are not limited to: 

• Developing, planning, organizing, and coaching all CPCS core curriculum and specialized training events. This includes the development and maintenance of CPCS criminal defense online training such as creating and editing video lectures, adapting group exercises to an online format, and developing other online resources initiatives;
• Working collaboratively with Bar Advocate Programs and staff offices to deliver training and support for other training initiatives;
• Designing, revising, and delivering training workshops for staff and Bar Advocates;
• Supporting training initiatives and events for investigators and social service advocates, and assisting with training projects for support staff, supervisors, and management/leadership training events;
• Updating trainings to ensure accessibility and consistency with anti-oppression and anti-oppression values;
• Writing and editing training materials; 
• Writing and editing summaries of recent and significant criminal defense decisions (MA and Federal) and practice advisories for distribution to criminal defense practitioners;
• Monitoring and responding to inquiries in connection with Group IO listservs (PDD, Private Bar and Murder List);
• Assisting with the development and updating of all criminal defense materials on MyGideon;
• Collaborating cross-divisionally to provide exceptional and current trainings that support the zealous representation of clients across CPCS;
• May maintain a small criminal caseload; and,
• Other duties as assigned. 

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,