Trial Attorney - MHLD Roxbury

Committee for Public Counsel•Boston, MA

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Mental Health Litigation Division (MHLD) of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is seeking a full-time Trial Attorney for civil commitment cases including trials and a limited number of appellate cases for its Roxbury Commitment Unit. This office is responsible for civil commitments filed by Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center, HRI Hospital in Brookline, and other facilities in the metro-Boston area. This office is currently located at 75 Federal Street, Boston, until the Unit relocates to a permanent office location. This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule. We fight for equal justice and human dignity by supporting our clients in achieving their legal and life goals. We zealously advocate for the rights of individuals and promote just public policy to protect the rights of all. The Mental Health Litigation Division is seeking an experienced, full-time Trial Attorney for civil commitment cases including trials and a limited number of appellate cases for its Roxbury Commitment Unit. The Unit is responsible for civil commitments filed by Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center, HRI Hospital in Brookline, and other facilities in the metro-Boston area. This office is currently located at 75 Federal Street, Boston, until the Unit relocates to a permanent office location. The Mental Health Litigation Division is committed to protecting the legal and constitutional rights of citizens facing civil commitment to a psychiatric facility, guardianship petitions, and involuntary treatment orders including the administration of antipsychotic medications. Mental Health Litigation Division Trial Attorneys receive training in issues relating to mental health and the statutory and constitutional rights of our clients. Mental Health Litigation Division Trial Attorneys provide zealous representation in mental health cases, primarily to indigent persons in proceedings seeking the initial commitment to, continued confinement at, or authorization to treat by psychiatric facilities operated by the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, Department of Mental Health (DMH) and private psychiatric facilities licensed by DMH. Attorneys will appear primarily in District Court sessions conducted at facilities for which the Office is responsible or in Superior Court divisions within the county in which the facilities are located but may be required to represent clients in proceedings emanating from other facilities and conducted in other courts of the Commonwealth. Trial Attorneys may also represent clients in appeals to the Appellate Divisions of the District and Municipal Courts. Trial Attorneys will be supervised by, and report to, the Attorney in Charge.

Requirements

Applicants must be committed to serving a culturally diverse, low-income population and must be eligible to practice law in Massachusetts, either as a member of the Massachusetts bar or as an attorney licensed in another jurisdiction who is covered by Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:04
All Trial Attorney positions require travel; access to reliable transportation throughout the Commonwealth is necessary
Access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely

Nice To Haves

Foreign language skills to support interaction with limited English proficient groups in the region are desirable
Trial experience in mental health cases is preferred
Strong interpersonal and analytical skills
Ability to work in a community and defense-oriented capacity, both independently and collaboratively.

Responsibilities

Visiting with and interviewing clients at the facilities
Conducting pre-trial investigation and discovery, including reviewing facility and other medical and psychiatric records, and interviewing facility staff
Working extensively with forensic psychiatric and psychological clinicians
Locating and interviewing witnesses and consulting with service providers
Conducting legal research and writing
Representing clients in pretrial proceedings, hearings, and interlocutory appeals.

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