Paralegal - Special Projects Unit, Criminal Appeals Unit, Private Counsel Division

Committee for Public Counsel•Boston, MA

1d•$59,893 - $96,855•Hybrid

About The Position

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), Massachusetts' public defender agency, is seeking a full-time Paralegal for the Special Projects Unit (SPU) within the Private Counsel Division's Criminal Appeals Unit. This role is based in Boston and offers a hybrid work schedule with a minimum of two days in the office. CPCS is dedicated to fighting for equal justice and human dignity by supporting clients in achieving their legal and life goals, and zealously advocating for individual rights and just public policy. The agency provides representation in a wide range of cases, including criminal, delinquency, family regulation, and mental health matters, as well as appeals and post-conviction proceedings. The Special Projects Unit specifically addresses developments in the law that have a widespread impact on post-conviction clients, potentially providing grounds for undoing convictions. This involves notifying clients and attorneys about these developments and, in some instances, litigating these issues. The paralegal will assist attorneys in challenging potentially wrongful convictions by gathering data and discovery, preparing for evidentiary hearings, filing public records requests, alerting clients and attorneys to relevant legal developments, and responding to inquiries. This work is confined to state criminal courts.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or Paralegal certificate
Access to reliable transportation in order to travel to locations that are not easily accessible by public transportation
Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely
Two years of paralegal experience may be substituted for the degree/certificate

Nice To Haves

A strong interest in seeking sustainable systemic and institutional reform on behalf of CPCS’s indigent clients in all practice areas
Facility with MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook
Excellent organizational skills
Ability to perform factual research via internal records, public records and on-line databases
Ability to perform data analysis
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Skills and experience in interacting with persons of various social, racial, cultural economic and educational backgrounds
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and persuasively orally and in writing

Responsibilities

Conducting factual research via internal records, public records, and on-line databases
Preparing and pursuing public record requests
Updating databases and providing support for database users
Organizing and summarizing data obtained via discovery
Locating and performing preliminary interviews of potential clients and witnesses
Analyzing data and presenting findings to attorneys
Becoming familiar with the law and processes related to the various legal developments as they arise such as the Massachusetts drug lab scandals
Answering phone, written, and email inquiries, utilizing multiple databases, from individuals inquiring about convictions
Maintaining accurate electronic records of work performed
Other duties as assigned