Associate Counsel - Office of the Commissioner of Probation

Commonwealth of Massachusetts • Boston, MA

9d

About The Position

Working within the Legal Unit of the Probation Service Central Office, an Associate Counsel provides legal research and writing, litigation support, special projects management, and legal advice and recommendations under the direction of the Legal Chief of Staff and the Deputy Commissioner - Legal Counsel. An Associate Counsel interacts with and assists in advising Probation field staff, managers, Senior Staff, and Executive Staff members on a wide variety of legal and administrative issues. An Associate Counsel also helps support the Probation Records Unit, the Probation Personnel Unit, and collaborates with Field Services, Program Services, the Office of Community Corrections, and Community Services at Probation. Acting under Probation’s Special Assistant Attorney General (“SAAG”) designation, the Associate Counsel may research, write and argue in court motions, appeals or other pleadings on issues of importance to Probation.

Requirements

• A Law Degree and Membership in the Massachusetts Bar;
• (2) Two years or more years of legal experience in criminal, civil, Juvenile or Probate and Family Court litigation;
• Strong proficiency in online legal research tools and methods, MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel;
• Ability to analyze administrative problems, engage in critical legal thinking, and to develop feasible solutions;
• Considerable knowledge of the Massachusetts judicial system, the Massachusetts General Laws, court procedures, and the operations of state government;
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work professionally with probation officers, court officials, judges, attorneys, and the general public, and to maintain effective working relationships;
• Ability to collaborate with others and maintain a professional and positive working environment;
• Ability to travel to any statewide probation office, courthouse, or the Probation Training Academy in central Massachusetts as needed.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing;
• Ability to handle sensitive matters on a confidential basis; and
• Ability to work independently and to establish work priorities.

Responsibilities

• Drafts correspondence or position statements in response to complaints, and researches the answers to questions or requests for information from the public, attorneys, judges, Probation staff, probationers, the media and other agencies;
• Makes recommendations to the Legal Chief of Staff and Deputy Commissioner - Legal Counsel.
• Works under Probation’s Special Assistant Attorney General (“SAAG”) designation, to research, write and argue in court motions, appeals or other pleadings on issues of importance to Probation;
• Provides written summaries of relevant case law for inclusion in the Probation Quarterly Legal Digest or other type of Legal Advisory or directive that may be needed;
• Works on special projects and initiatives as assigned, such as indigency verification, confidentiality, records retention, interstate compact issues, records corrections, legislation, research requests, policies, trainings, confidential informant issues, mental health issues;
• Acts as professional staff to special advisory committees;
• Drafts materials for meetings, prepares reports, and collaborates with committee members as needed;
• Performs related duties as required.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree