Trial Attorney - MHLD Northampton

Committee for Public Counsel Services • Northampton, MA

11h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking a full-time Trial Attorney for its Northampton office. This role involves zealously defending against involuntary civil commitment proceedings, including trials and a limited number of appellate cases. The office serves Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties, focusing on civil commitments. CPCS is dedicated to fighting for equal justice and human dignity by supporting clients in achieving their legal and life goals, advocating for individual rights, and promoting just public policy. The agency's mission is to protect fundamental constitutional and human rights through zealous advocacy and excellent legal representation, embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values. CPCS provides legal representation to individuals who cannot afford an attorney in various case types, including criminal, delinquency, family regulation, guardianship, mental health, and sexually dangerous person cases. The Mental Health Litigation Division (MHLD) specifically provides trial and appellate representation in cases involving commitment to psychiatric facilities, authorization for medical treatment, and guardianship petitions where mental health and capacity are at issue. The Northampton Commitment Unit handles involuntary civil commitment petitions in Franklin, Northampton, Holyoke, and Springfield District Courts, as well as guardianships and community treatment plans in Hampden and Hampshire County Probate and Family Courts. The Trial Attorney will focus on civil commitment cases, competency to make informed medical decisions, and substituted judgment determinations.

Requirements

• 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
• Access to reliable transportation throughout the Commonwealth
• Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely

Nice To Haves

• Foreign language skills to support interaction with limited English proficient groups in the region
• Trial experience in mental health cases
• 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 locked psychiatric facilities
• Conducting pre-trial investigation and discovery, including obtaining and reviewing facility and other medical and psychiatric records, and interviewing facility staff and other potential witnesses
• Working extensively with forensic psychiatric and psychological clinicians, and other experts
• Locating and interviewing witnesses and consulting with service providers
• Working with the staff social services advocate to find alternatives to hospitalization
• Conducting extensive legal and medical research
• Conducting legal research and writing
• Representing clients in pretrial proceedings, hearings, trials, interlocutory appeals, and post-commitment relief proceedings
• Other duties as assigned

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed