Trial Attorney - MHLD Roxbury

Committee for Public Counsel Services • Boston, MA

4d • 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 its Roxbury Commitment Unit. The attorney represents clients in civil commitment cases, competency to make informed medical decisions, and substituted judgment determinations, primarily in trials, with a limited number of appellate cases. The Unit handles matters filed by Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center, HRI Hospital in Brookline, and other metro-Boston-area facilities. The office is currently located at 75 Federal Street, Boston, until the Unit relocates to a permanent location. The position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

The MHLD protects the legal and constitutional rights of individuals facing civil commitment, guardianship petitions, and involuntary treatment orders, including administration of antipsychotic medications. Trial Attorneys receive training on mental health issues and the statutory and constitutional rights of clients. They provide zealous representation, primarily to indigent people facing initial commitment, continued confinement, or authorization to treat at psychiatric facilities operated by the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, the Department of Mental Health, and private facilities licensed by the Department of Mental Health.

Attorneys appear primarily in District Court sessions at the facilities served by the Unit or in Superior Court divisions in the counties where those facilities are located. They may also handle matters involving other facilities and courts throughout the Commonwealth, and may represent clients in appeals to the Appellate Divisions of the District and Municipal Courts. The Trial Attorney is supervised by and reports to the Attorney in Charge. The role requires travel throughout the Commonwealth, reliable transportation, and reliable home internet access sufficient for remote work.

Requirements

• Must be committed to serving a culturally diverse, low-income population.
• Must be eligible to practice law in Massachusetts, either as a member of the Massachusetts bar or as an attorney licensed in another jurisdiction covered by Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:04.
• Must have access to reliable transportation throughout the Commonwealth, as all Trial Attorney positions require travel.
• Must have reliable home internet access sufficient to work remotely.
• Strong interpersonal and analytical skills.
• Ability to work in a community- and defense-oriented capacity, independently and collaboratively.

Nice To Haves

• Trial experience in mental health cases is preferred.
• Foreign language skills that support interaction with limited-English-proficient groups in the region are desirable.

Responsibilities

• Visit and interview clients at facilities.
• Conduct pretrial investigation and discovery, including obtaining and reviewing facility and other medical and psychiatric records, and interviewing facility staff and other potential witnesses.
• Work extensively with forensic psychiatric, psychological, and other clinicians.
• Locate and interview witnesses and consult with service providers.
• Conduct legal research and writing.
• Represent clients in pretrial proceedings, hearings, and interlocutory appeals.
• Represent clients in civil commitment, competency to make informed medical decisions, and substituted judgment proceedings, including trials and a limited number of appellate cases.

What This Job Offers

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