The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking applications for an experienced appellate attorney for an Oversight Counsel position in The Alternative Commitment and Registration Support Unit of the Private Counsel Division. Oversight Counsel provide oversight and support to attorneys representing indigent clients in SDP civil commitment appeals and appeals of administrative classifications from SORB and the Superior Court. This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

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.

OFFICE OVERVIEW

The Alternative Commitment and Registration Support Unit (ACRSU) of CPCS is committed to ensuring that every indigent adult and youth in Massachusetts has access to zealous legal representation when facing “sexually dangerous person” (SDP) civil commitment and sex offender registry board (SORB) classification proceedings from hearings and trials to appeals at all levels.

The ACRSU oversees, supports, and trains private panel attorneys to represent clients in SORB and SDP cases and assigns private counsel to these cases, as needed. The ACRSU also consists of a litigation unit with a group of staff attorneys who represent clients in SDP jury trials in Superior Court. The ACRSU provides leadership in the specialized areas of SORB and SDP litigation defense.

The ACRSU is the only office in the state specializing in SORB litigation defense and provides leadership on SDP issues in collaboration with the SDP trial unit. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Oversight Counsel will assume a leadership role across the state and within the unit by identifying important litigation issues and working with the Director and the other Oversight Attorneys to train panel attorneys to preserve and raise these issues on appeal.

The Oversight Counsel’s primary responsibilities are providing oversight, support, and training to attorneys on the SORB and SDP appellate panels. The Oversight Counsel will support the work of the Director of the ACRSU who is responsible for overseeing the SORB and SDP appellate panels.

The Oversight Counsel also responds to inquiries from the public, courts, agencies, attorneys, and clients. In addition, this position may involve strategic litigation, and/or drafting amicus briefs and legislative memoranda, as needed, and as time permits.

The Oversight Counsel reports to the Director of the ACRSU.

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;
• A minimum of five years’ legal experience;
• Access to an automobile in order to travel to courts, clients, and investigation locations that are not easily accessible by public transportation; and,
• Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

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

• Five years’ appellate experience strongly preferred;
• Experience with SORB and SDP cases;
• Experience handling civil appeals;
• Experience as a presenter or coach at training events (CPCS, MCLE or other programs) or at in-house office training sessions; and,
• Commitment to zealous advocacy in the representation of indigent persons for whom there is a right to court-appointed counsel.

Interested candidates should submit a statement of interest, resume, and a copy of a brief (with indication of whether the brief was edited by someone else).

RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties of the Oversight Counsel include, but are not limited to:

• Overseeing and evaluating panel attorney performance by reviewing and providing feedback on all briefs filed and by attending oral arguments;
• Reviewing panel attorney billing, as needed;
• Reviewing applications for panel membership and making recommendations to the ACRSU Director regarding panel selection;
• Identifying mentors and supervising mentor performance;
• Creating and conducting training workshops for SORB and SDP counsel and assisting with certification trainings;
• Supporting the ACRSU Director in meeting the Unit's annual goals;
• Updating and maintaining online resources for panel attorneys;
• Organizing moot courts;
• Strategizing legal issues and drafting legal memoranda;
• Drafting appellate and amicus briefs in SORB and SDP cases, as time allows;
• Responding to inquiries from clients, attorneys, courts, and the public; 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, at sdebow@publiccounsel.net.