Private Panel Support Attorney - Private Counsel Division, Criminal Trial Support Unit

Commonwealth of Massachusetts•Boston, MA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency of Massachusetts, is seeking an experienced attorney for a Private Panel Support Attorney position in the Criminal Trial Support Unit of the Private Counsel Division. The Criminal Trial Support Unit is responsible for the oversight of attorneys who provide representation to indigent criminal defense clients with cases in the Massachusetts trial courts. The Private Panel Support Attorney will be primarily responsible for Berkshire, Franklin, and Hampshire Counties and may be seated in any available CPCS office. CPCS fights for equal justice and human dignity by supporting its clients in achieving their legal and life goals. The agency zealously advocates for the rights of individuals and promotes just public policy to protect the rights of all. 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 Criminal Trial Support Unit (CTSU) is responsible for the support and oversight of 13 County Bar Advocate Programs (BAPs) and panel attorneys who provide representation to indigent clients in criminal cases. The CTSU is responsible for the support and oversight of approximately 1,500 private attorneys taking approximately 120,000 trial level criminal case assignments through contracts with county BAPs. The CTSU also oversees 42 county Supervising Attorneys who provide direct support to attorneys taking cases in their county. The Private Panel Support Attorney works cooperatively with the County Bar Advocate Programs (BAPs) to ensure zealous representation of indigent clients by the bar advocate panel attorneys. The Private Panel Support Attorney will work to ensure compliance with the contracts between CPCS and the BAPs and between CPCS and the county Supervising Attorneys. The Private Panel Support Attorney will oversee the Supervising Attorneys and assist in the recruiting and selection of the Supervising Attorneys as well as assisting with the recruitment process for bar advocate panel attorneys. The Private Panel Support Attorney responds to clients, judges, court personnel, and other stakeholders regarding assigned counsel performance and will refer complaints to the appropriate county Supervising Attorney for investigation. The Private Panel Support Attorney will also review billing inquiries and determine whether adjustments should be made to billing limits or submissions. The Private Panel Support Attorney will be primarily responsible for Berkshire, Franklin, and Hampshire Counties and may be seated in any available CPCS office. The Private Panel Support Attorney will report to the Director of the Criminal Trial Support Unit.

Requirements

Must be eligible to practice law in this jurisdiction as a member of the Massachusetts bar in good standing, or as an attorney in another jurisdiction who is eligible to engage in limited Massachusetts practice under Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:04
Must have a minimum of five years’ experience as a criminal defense practitioner
Must have a valid driver’s license and access to a motor vehicle
Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely
At least five years’ experience as a Bar Advocate
Excellent communication skills
Self-starter and ability to take initiative
Experience interacting with people of various social, racial, cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Ability to effectively interact with members of the criminal trial support unit administrative and legal staff, criminal defendants, and panel attorneys
Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and Power Point
Ability to analyze data and to present the analysis

Nice To Haves

A demonstrated commitment to the principle of zealous advocacy and high quality representation for indigent persons

Responsibilities

Ensuring compliance with the contracts between CPCS and the bar advocate programs and between CPCS and the county Supervising Attorneys and working cooperatively with the bar advocate programs’ Boards of Directors and administrators
Interviewing, selecting, training, and overseeing the county Supervising Attorneys
Coordinating with the BAP Administrators to ensure that all duty days and cases in the county are covered, including assisting with locating counsel for unassigned cases and duty days
Reviewing Performance Assessment Reports submitted by Supervising Attorneys to determine whether to offer additional support and communicating with Supervising Attorneys to assess the functioning of the courts and panels
Reviewing Complaint Investigations and coordinating with the Director to determine responses
Reviewing Complex Case Reviews to determine whether to increase billing thresholds and whether to recommend releasing, reviewing, or rejecting billing submissions
Responding to calls regarding issues involving the appointment, assignment, and performance of private counsel and coordinating with the Director on responses
Reviewing applications to the Superior Court and Murder List panels, making recommendations to the Director, and facilitating the certification process for qualified panel members
Reviewing appellate decisions alleging ineffective assistance of counsel and other claims, consulting with appellate counsel about trial counsel’s performance, and determining if any corrections or additional actions are needed
Providing regular updates to the Director and Deputy Chief Counsel regarding data and information such as the current number of attorneys taking cases in each county, the number of clients awaiting the appointment of counsel, and news from the local courts
Assisting the BAP Administrators and panel members with billing inquiries
Participating in BAP panel recruitment efforts
Other duties as required