The CPCS Training Department is seeking an Administrative Assistant to provide administrative, technical, and general support within the Training Department and primary support for the staff working in the Mental Health Litigation Division Training and the Youth Advocacy Training areas of the Training Department.

The Training Department is located in Boston and this position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule with a minimum of two days in the office each week. The Training Department runs training programs across the Commonwealth and occasional travel to other office locations is required for this role.

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 CPCS Training Department develops and delivers comprehensive, practice-driven education for staff and private assigned counsel across all areas of public defense. Through a team of experienced practice area trainers in Criminal Defense, Children and Family Law, Youth Advocacy, and Mental Health Litigation, the Department provides rigorous substantive instruction alongside advanced skills training that reflects the realities of modern indigent defense practice. Our programming is informed by evolving law, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the needs of the clients we serve, and is designed to meet the highest standards of excellence in public defense training nationwide.

In addition to core practice-area offerings, the Department leads agency-wide training initiatives in areas such as appellate and post-trial advocacy; emerging adult representation; forensic issues; holistic defense; trial strategy; leadership, management, and professional development; and wellness. These integrated training pathways equip attorneys not only with technical legal proficiency, but with the strategic, collaborative, and management competencies required for effective client-centered advocacy. By investing in continuous professional development, the Training Department strengthens the quality, consistency, and impact of representation provided by CPCS staff and private counsel statewide.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Training Department is seeking an Administrative Assistant in Boston, MA. The Administrative Assistant will provide administrative, technical, and general support within the Training Department and primarily support the Directors and staff working in the Mental Health and Youth Advocacy practice areas.

The AA will report to the Supervising AA of the Training Department. The Training Department is located in Boston and this position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule with a minimum of two days in the office each week. The Training Department runs training programs across the Commonwealth and occasional travel to other office locations is required for this role.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate will be a person who is both highly organized and detail-oriented and enjoys interacting with people in a friendly work environment and will take satisfaction from working in an agency which is committed to protecting the fundamental legal rights of indigent persons.

Applicants must have at least (A) one year of full-time, or equivalent part-time, experience in administrative work or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below:

Substitutions: 

• An Associate’s or higher degree with a major in business administration, business management, or public administration may be substituted for the required experience. Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed. 
• Applicants must also have access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

Interested candidates should submit a written statement of interest and a resume.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS 

• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint);
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written;
• Strong organizational abilities;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and to exercise considerable judgment and discretion;
• Previous administrative assistant, office manager or similar experience and knowledge of general office procedures (e.g., correspondence, scheduling);
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, meet deadlines, and deliver high quality work;
• Proficiency and experience with scanning, optical character recognition processing (experience working with and entering text into spreadsheets is preferred);
• Ability to establish effective working relationships and to work as part of a team;
• Good problem-solving skills;
• Project management experience is preferred;
• Experience with Wordpress, editing video and audio files, and distance learning tools preferred;
• Experience in database creation and management; and,
• Experience working with budgets and grants.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Administrative Assistant’s duties include, but are not limited to: 

• Coordinating training programs and production of training materials;
• Providing on-site logistical support for trainings and events across various locations in Massachusetts, including travel as needed, room setup and breakdown, catering coordination, and related event logistics;
• Producing and disseminating written and digital communications/resources including weekly emails, a bi-monthly newsletter, and website updates;
• Compiling data to ensure the work plan and departmental training goals are being met;
• Ensuring compliance with contract initiation and requisition processes for training-related vendors and services;
• Assisting in the development of training budgets and maintaining records of expenditures;
• Communicating regularly with staff, private bar members, vendors, and experts across Massachusetts;
• Providing a broad range of administrative support, including phone reception, word processing, data entry, copying, scanning, and related clerical tasks;
• Supporting CPCS Training Department staff in the planning and execution of agency-wide training programs and events, and providing flexible support across Training Department functions and practice areas as needed; 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