Trial Attorney - MHLD Roxbury
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 position handles civil commitment cases, competency to make informed medical decisions, substituted judgment determinations, trials, and a limited number of appellate cases. The Unit is responsible for cases filed by Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center, HRI Hospital in Brookline, and other facilities in the metro-Boston area. Its office is currently located at 75 Federal Street in Boston until it relocates to a permanent location. The position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule. The MHLD protects the legal and constitutional rights of people facing civil commitment, guardianship petitions, and involuntary treatment orders, including orders for antipsychotic medication. Trial Attorneys receive training in mental health issues and the statutory and constitutional rights of clients. They primarily represent indigent people in proceedings involving 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 DMH. Attorneys primarily appear in District Court sessions at facilities served by the office or in the relevant county's Superior Court, and may also handle matters involving other facilities and courts across the Commonwealth. They may represent clients in appeals to the Appellate Divisions of the District and Municipal Courts. The position is supervised by and reports to the Attorney in Charge.
Requirements
- Commitment to serving a culturally diverse, low-income population.
- Eligibility 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.
- Access to reliable transportation throughout the Commonwealth, as all Trial Attorney positions require travel.
- Reliable 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
- Trial experience in mental health cases.
- Foreign language skills to support interaction with limited English proficient groups in the region.
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 trials and a limited number of appellate cases.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Education Level
No Education Listed
