The Children and Family Law and Youth Advocacy Divisions of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, the Massachusetts public defender agency, are seeking a full-time Supervising Investigator. The Supervising Investigator will be based in any CAFL or YAD office with available space depending on the needs of the Divisions and the selected candidate.

This newly created position will assist the CAFL and YAD Divisions in creating a robust Investigator program throughout the Commonwealth. Supervising Investigators assist in the hiring, training, and supervision of staff Investigators in addition to their own reduced caseload.

Investigators are key members of the defense team who assist in developing defense strategies for indigent persons by interviewing witnesses, investigating allegations made by the Department of Children and families and District Attorney’s Office, and documenting crime scenes.

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.

DIVISION OVERVIEWS

The Children and Family Law Division (“CAFL”) of CPCS, is committed to ensuring that every indigent child, parent, and/or guardian in Massachusetts has access to zealous legal representation in family regulation/child welfare cases, including care and protection, child requiring assistance, termination of parental rights, guardianship-of-a-minor cases, and other types of custody and adoption proceedings. CAFL provides a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to client representation, bringing together attorneys, social workers, and support staff to improve outcomes for the clients they serve. This team-based model recognizes that effective advocacy in family regulation and state intervention cases requires both rigorous legal defense and a deep understanding of the social, familial, and systemic factors impacting clients’ lives.

The Youth Advocacy Division (YAD), the juvenile defender division of CPCS, is committed to ensuring that every indigent child in Massachusetts has access to zealous legal representation in delinquency, GCL Revocation, juvenile murder, juvenile appeals, and youthful offender cases from a diverse and ever improving community of juvenile defenders consisting of both private assigned counsel and staff public defenders. YAD provides leadership, training, support, and oversight to the indigent juvenile defense bar in Massachusetts. As youth in Massachusetts have a right to jury trials, the Attorney in Charge (AIC) oversees a trial office which integrates the work of trial attorneys, social service advocates (SSAs), an investigator, and administrative assistants (AAs) to fully address the legal and developmental needs of our clients.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Children and Family Law and Youth Advocacy Divisions of CPCS are seeking a Supervising Investigator to work with 8 CAFL/YAD investigators serving trial offices throughout the Commonwealth. Supervising Investigators assist in the supervision, hiring, and training of staff Investigators as well as carry a reduced caseload.

Investigators are key members of the defense team and are responsible for conducting defense investigations and trial preparation for staff attorneys as well as assisting in developing defense strategy for indigent persons in Care and Protection, Children Requiring Assistance, Guardianship of Minors, Delinquency and Youthful Offender criminal cases in Juvenile Court. The Investigator's role is critical to maintaining or reunifying families and keeping children out of the juvenile justice system. 

The Supervising Investigator will be based in any CAFL or YAD office with available space depending on the needs of the Divisions and the selected candidate. The Supervising Investigator will report to a CAFL Managing Director and will collaborate with the other CAFL and YAD Managing Directors, Attorneys in Charge, and staff attorneys, and others as appropriate.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Applicants for the position of Supervising Investigator must have:

• A Bachelor’s degree and at least three years of experience as a criminal investigator or criminal defense attorney, preferably in cases involving the provision of defense services to indigent defendants; or an equivalent combination of education, training, experience, and skills;
• Insured, reliable, and available transportation, and a valid MA driver’s license; and,
• Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

Applicants should submit (1) a letter of interest, (2) a résumé, and (3) a writing sample. 

The successful candidates will be subject to a background check including CORI and driving history reviews.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

The following attributes are preferred:

• A demonstrated commitment to anti-racism and to reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal legal system;
• A demonstrated commitment to the principles of zealous advocacy and community-oriented defense and the ability to promote the provision of excellent representation by staff members;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, internet databases, social media, online searches and databases, surveillance technology, imaging and audio and video equipment;
• A demonstrated knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of criminal investigations, including gathering, preserving, and presenting evidence, basic identification techniques, creating and utilizing demonstrative evidence, and methods of operation;
• Strong leadership skills and qualities;
• Strong written and oral advocacy skills, and analytical, interpersonal, communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills;
• Proven ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team;
• A demonstrated ability to develop, support, and mentor staff;
• Ability to work successfully with courts and other personnel in the Juvenile Court;
• A demonstrated knowledge of civil and criminal law and courtroom procedures; interviewing and interrogation techniques; and, forensics, including scientific developments used for investigation and prosecution of crimes;
• Flexibility to work outside of regular business hours, e.g. on nights and weekends, if required; and,
• Bilingual language skills preferred.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The supervisory duties of the Supervising Investigator include:

• Monitoring investigator caseloads to ensure that each investigator’s caseload is appropriate;
• Maintaining statistics relative to investigator caseloads;
• In-the-field supervision, including accompanying supervisees on witness interviews, examining and photographing crime scenes, jail visits, and court appearances;
• Reviewing report writing of Investigators;
• Attending regular one-on-one meetings with individual Investigators, as well as group meetings with Investigators and other defense team staff to ensure quality investigations are occurring;
• Working with the Attorneys-in-Charge to assign cases to investigators;
• Collaborating with Attorneys-in-Charge of trial offices in the region on annual performance evaluations of supervisees;
• Assisting the recruiting and hiring of staff Investigators to ensure quality and diversity of staff;
• Working with the PDD Director of Investigations, CAFL and YAD Leadership Teams, and the Training Unit in the training of Investigators;
• Meeting regularly with the PDD Director of Investigations and PDD Supervising Investigators as well as they Deputy Chief Counsel and Managing Directors to review compliance with responsibilities and to discuss regional and statewide issues;
• Making and maintaining personal contact with individuals in various agencies (e.g., police, DCF, DYS, hospitals, ambulance services, courts) and community organizations to facilitate Investigators’ access to witnesses and records;
• Developing familiarity with Massachusetts child welfare laws and regulations, criminal laws and rules of civil and criminal procedure; and,
• Other duties as assigned.

The investigation duties of the Supervising Investigator include:

• Locating and interviewing cooperative and, at times, uncooperative witnesses and/or alleged victims
• Investigating and documenting allegations made by the Department of Children and Families and the Suffolk and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office, as well as crime scenes, commonly located in neighborhoods that have been designated as ‘high crime areas’ by local law enforcement agencies;
• Preparing and presenting oral and/or written reports based upon interviews and/or information obtained during the course of the investigation;
• Conducting surveillance;
• Measuring, diagramming, and photographing locations where crimes may have taken place and/or any location appropriate to the defense strategy;
• Utilizing computers for on-line access to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, public records, databases, social networking sites, and various online searches;
• Keeping accurate records of all phases of the investigation, and being accountable for all aspects of the investigation;
• Networking and maintaining personal contact with individuals in various agencies, including, but not limited to, police departments, courts, state agencies, private sector agencies, and others to facilitate access to information necessary to the defense of a case;
• Reviewing and analyzing police reports and witness statements;
• Maintaining open lines of communication with attorneys as to investigative updates and case strategy and meeting all deadlines associated with cases;
• Maintaining professional and productive relationships with attorneys and other staff members;
• Evaluating individuals and factual situations to aid the attorney in preparing and presenting a defense to the criminal charges;
• Advising attorneys regarding changes and developments in investigative tools and techniques;
• Developing familiarity with Massachusetts child welfare laws and regulations, criminal laws and rules of criminal and civil procedure;
• Serving summonses on witnesses and document record keepers;
• Arranging timely appearance of witnesses at court by keeping them “on call” and when necessary, providing transportation for clients and/or witnesses to court or other facilities;
• Preparing exhibits for trials and hearings;
• Ability to work independently and outside of normal business hours as needed;
• Participating in training programs for attorneys, as well as investigators; 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