CPCS Trial Attorney – Youth Advocacy Division, Springfield Trial Office

Job Title:
CPCS Trial Attorney – Youth Advocacy Division, Springfield Trial Office
Company/Organization:
Committee for Public Counsel Services
Location:
Springfield, MA
Position Description:
The Youth Advocacy Division is seeking a Trial Attorney for its Springfield Trial Office. YAD Trial Attorneys are committed to ensuring every indigent child in Massachusetts has access to zealous legal representation in delinquency and youthful offender cases.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT
CPCS is committed to protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of its clients by providing zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense, and excellent representation. In fulfilling its mission, CPCS is committed to fostering diversity at all levels of the agency. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. In striving always to achieve those goals, CPCS embraces diversity and inclusion as core values and is steadfast in our commitment to: (1) ensuring that CPCS management and staff members represent a broad range of human difference and experience; (2) providing a work climate that is respectful and that supports success; and (3) promoting the dignity and well-being of all staff members. CPCS’s leadership is responsible for ensuring excellence, diversity, and inclusion. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us.

Position Overview:

The Youth Advocacy Division, the juvenile defender department of CPCS, is committed to ensuring that every indigent child in Massachusetts has access to zealous legal representation in delinquency and youthful offender cases from a diverse and ever improving community of juvenile defenders consisting of both private appointed counsel and staff public defenders. YAD provides leadership, training, support, and oversight to the indigent juvenile defense bar in Massachusetts. Each trial office integrates the work of attorneys, a social service advocate, and an administrative assistant to fully address the legal and developmental needs of our clients.
YAD is looking for one Trial Attorney to join its Springfield Trial Office.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Staff attorneys provide zealous legal representation on delinquency, and youthful offender, cases using the Positive Youth Development Approach, as well as using all the same criminal defense skills needed to practice in district and superior courts. As appropriate, they provide post dispositional advocacy and support to DYS committed youth, as well as school based advocacy. Staff attorneys also work on projects related to improving legal representation and outcomes for court involved children. In addition, staff attorneys play a leadership role in working towards reducing the racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system.
Minimum Qualifications and Skills:
Candidates must be eligible to practice law in this jurisdiction as a member of the Massachusetts Bar in good standing, as a law school graduate under Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:03, or as an attorney in another jurisdiction who is eligible to engage in limited Massachusetts practice under Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:04. Candidates must have access to an automobile or reliable transportation for visits to incarcerated clients and investigation locations.

Applications will be strengthened by the following:
• Experience with criminal, especially juvenile defense
• Experience with a community oriented defender practice
• Knowledge of adolescent development
• Knowledge of state and local resources of use to juvenile defendants
• Understanding of juvenile justice practice and policy issues
• Experience with the child welfare system or school system
• Experience working with children and youth

Competitive candidates will have an interest in direct advocacy, community education and engagement, system reform, and be multilingual. Lawyers with four of more years of experience are encouraged to apply.

Please submit a resume, statement of interest, and writing sample.

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 Director of Human Resources Management, Lisa Bacon, at lbacon@publiccounsel.net.

Application Deadline
07/10/2018
Application Requirements
  • Resume
  • Cover Letter
  • Other
Other
Writing Sample
Who should be contacted for further information on this opportunity?
Kevin Ruderman
Email
kruderman@publiccounsel.net
Contact Info
Name
Kevin Ruderman

(617) 482-6212

Title
Legal Hiring Coordinator
Address
44 Bromfield St
Boston, MA 02108-4909
Map It
Website
https://careers-publiccounsel.icims.com/jobs/1629/yad-springfield-trial-attorney/job