Staff Attorney - Appeals Court

Massachusetts Trial Court•Boston, MA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The court seeks a highly skilled and detail-oriented staff attorney. Staff attorneys work closely with all members of the court, including the Justices, on a variety of legal assignments in a collaborative environment. Among other work, staff attorneys edit outgoing decisions, and applicants should expect that most of their time will be spent editing. A staff attorney's role in editing outgoing decisions is to conduct a thorough review of the decision to ensure substantive accuracy and compliance with detailed formatting and style conventions. In addition, staff attorneys (1) screen incoming briefs for procedural defects and to help determine which cases should be scheduled for oral argument and (2) assist in drafting decisions. Especially for the screening and writing aspects of the job, staff attorneys spend more of their time working on civil versus criminal cases, and significant experience handling complex civil matters would be helpful. For this position, expertise with or interest in complex business or commercial law would be particularly helpful but not required. This role is ideal for an attorney who excels in legal research, writing, and editing.

Requirements

Thorough knowledge of Massachusetts state civil and/or criminal procedure
Working knowledge of appellate court jurisdiction and procedure
Ability to assist in drafting and editing legal documents pursuant to technical and substantive guidelines
Ability to analyze, appraise, and organize facts and precedent
Ability to meet deadlines
Ability to communicate clearly and precisely, verbally and in writing
Ability to work well with others, including judges, law clerks, and staff
Computer and technical skills
Graduation from an accredited law school
Membership in the Massachusetts Bar
Minimum of five years of legal experience