Trial Attorney - MHLD Worcester

Commonwealth of Massachusetts • Worcester, MA

15h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Mental Health Litigation Division (MHLD) of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is seeking an experienced, full-time Trial Attorney for civil commitment cases, competency to make informed medical decisions, and substituted judgment determinations. This role will include handling trials and a limited number of appellate cases for its Worcester Commitment Defense Unit. This office is responsible for civil commitments filed by Worcester Recovery Center & Hospital, St. Vincent Hospital, UMASS Psychiatric Treatment and Recovery Center, and UMASS 8-East Unit, and the Hospital for Behavioral Medicine. The MHLD 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. Trial Attorneys in this division receive training on mental health issues and the statutory and constitutional rights of clients. They provide zealous representation primarily to indigent persons in proceedings seeking 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

• 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
• Strong interpersonal and analytical skills
• Ability to work in a community and defense-oriented capacity, both independently and collaboratively

Nice To Haves

• Foreign language skills to support interaction with limited English proficient groups in the region
• Trial experience in mental health cases

Responsibilities

• Visiting with and interviewing clients at the 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, psychological and other clinicians
• Locating and interviewing witnesses and consulting with service providers
• Conducting legal research and writing
• Representing clients in pretrial proceedings, hearings, trials, and interlocutory appeals

What This Job Offers

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