Paralegal - Private Counsel Division, Post Convictions Special Projects Unit

Committee for Public Counsel Services•Boston, MA

20d•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. The SPU focuses on identifying and addressing legal developments with widespread impact on CPCS post-conviction clients, potentially leading to the overturning of convictions. The paralegal will support SPU attorneys by gathering data and discovery, preparing for evidentiary hearings, filing public records requests, and communicating legal developments to clients and attorneys. This position is limited 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
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

Nice To Haves

A strong sense of the daily injustices faced by CPCS’ clients and a commitment to fighting those injustices
A strong interest in seeking sustainable systemic and institutional reform on behalf of CPCS’s indigent clients in all practice areas

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