Trial Attorney - LGBTQ+ Liaison - CAFL Transition Age Youth Office

Committee for Public Counsel Services•Framingham, MA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking an attorney to serve as Trial Attorney/LGBTQ+ Liaison in the Transition Age Youth (TAY) office, an exciting new initiative of the Children and Family Law (CAFL) Division. The TAY office will be fully remote until office space is procured. The final office location is expected to be in Framingham but may be in another MetroWest or Greater Boston area location. These positions may be sited in FJA Offices in Springfield or Worcester depending on available space and the needs of the office and candidate. These positions are eligible for hybrid work schedules. CPCS is committed to protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of our assigned clients through zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense, and the fullness of excellent legal representation. 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 Transition Age Youth (TAY) office is a new, statewide advocacy unit dedicated to improving the experiences and outcomes for youth and young adults (ages 14-22) navigating the Massachusetts family regulation system. TAY provides specialized training, case consultation, and limited direct client representation. The team will include an Attorney in Charge, four attorneys, a social worker, a peer support advocate, and an administrative assistant. TAY is part of Family Justice Advocates (FJA), the “CAFL conflicts offices.” FJA has separate physical offices, management, computer systems, and other mechanisms in place to ensure its independence and separation from all other CPCS offices for conflict-of-interest purposes. The TAY office will be fully remote until office space is procured. The final office location is expected to be in Framingham but may be in another MetroWest or Greater Boston area location. These positions may be sited in FJA Offices in Springfield or Worcester depending on available space and the needs of the office and candidate. These positions are eligible for hybrid work schedules. The Trial Attorney/LGBTQ+ Liaison will provide direct representation to transition age youth (and their siblings, as appropriate) in all CAFL cases including Care and Protection (C&P), Child Requiring Assistance (CRA), and Permanency for Young Adult (PYA) cases, specialized legal training, and case consultation to FJA staff and CAFL private panel attorneys, with a focus on LGBTQ+ youth. They will serve as the point person for FJA staff and CAFL private panel attorneys for issues related to the representation of LGBTQ+ youth, and as a CPCS representative for collaboration with stakeholders on LGBTQ+ issues, including regular meetings with the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth. The Trial Attorney/LGBTQ+ Liaison will be assigned to a catchment area for case-taking, with consideration given to their location and the needs of the office. They will have responsibilities across all areas listed above. The Trial Attorney/LGBTQ+ Liaison reports to the Attorney in Charge of the Transition Age Youth office. Attorneys from all counties are encouraged to apply. Attorneys with a minimum of three years of relevant legal experience are preferred.

Requirements

Eligible to practice law in Massachusetts, either as a member of the Massachusetts bar in good standing, or as the member of the bar of another jurisdiction eligible to engage in limited Massachusetts practice under Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:04
Access to reliable transportation in order to travel to courts, clients, and other locations throughout the state
Access to home internet sufficient to work remotely

Nice To Haves

Three years of experience representing youth, young adults, or parents in C&P, CRA, and/or PYA cases (however, candidates with fewer years of experience who demonstrate strong knowledge of transition age youth, initiative, and the ability to manage an active caseload will be fully considered)
Experience representing LGBTQ+ youth
Experience with the juvenile court system and/or DCF
A demonstrated commitment to the principle of zealous advocacy and to improving the representation of, and outcomes for, LGBTQ+ youth throughout Massachusetts
Strong interpersonal and analytical skills
Excellent litigation, writing, and oral presentation skills
Foreign language skills are desirable
Ability to work in a community and defense-oriented capacity, both independently and collaboratively

Responsibilities

Providing direct representation of transition age youth in all aspects of CAFL cases at the trial level, including C&P, CRA, and PYA cases. Direct representation includes but is not limited to, visiting and interviewing clients, investigation and discovery, consulting with experts, negotiation, motion practice, biannual foster care reviews, evidentiary hearings, administrative and interlocutory appeals, and post judgment representation;
Developing and delivering training and resources on the representation of LGBTQ+ youth and other topics;
Advising and consulting with FJA staff and CAFL private panel attorneys on cases that involve LGBTQ+ youth;
Conducting legal research and writing;
Keeping up to date on practice issues and emerging laws and policies affecting transition age youth;
Working on projects related to improving legal representation and outcomes for transition age youth;
Maintaining strong working relationships with CAFL practitioners, assigned Juvenile Courts, and community agencies;
Working with stakeholders on issues related to the representation of LGBTQ+ youth;
Assisting with the development of annual work plans for TAY training programs and projects;
Other duties as assigned.