Trial Attorney - CAFL Transition Age Youth Office
About The Position
The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is establishing a new Transition Age Youth (TAY) Office within the Children and Family Law Division's conflicts office, the Family Justice Advocates. This office will focus on improving representation and advocacy for young adults and transition-aged youth involved in the family regulation system. Initially operating as a fully remote office, the TAY Office aims to provide multidisciplinary support, direct client representation, legal training, and consultation to attorneys across Massachusetts. The TAY Office is part of Family Justice Advocates (FJA), which provides legal representation in family regulation cases where conflicts prevent standard CAFL staff attorneys from representing a party. The agency's mission is to fight for equal justice and human dignity by supporting clients in achieving their legal and life goals through zealous advocacy and promoting just public policy.
Requirements
- Eligible to practice law in Massachusetts, either as a member of the Massachusetts bar in good standing, or as the member of the bar of another jurisdiction eligible to engage in limited Massachusetts practice under Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:04
- Access to an automobile in order to travel to courts, clients, and investigation locations that are not easily accessible by public transportation
- Access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely
- A demonstrated commitment to the principle of zealous advocacy in the representation of indigent persons
Nice To Haves
- Trial experience in termination of parental rights cases as counsel for a parent and/or as counsel for a child or children
- Substantial experience working with adolescents or young adults
- Foreign language skills
- Ability to work in a community and defense-oriented capacity, both independently and collaboratively
Responsibilities
- Visiting and interviewing adolescents, young adults, and their sibling clients
- Pre-trial investigation and discovery, including locating and interviewing witnesses, reviewing documentary evidence, and consulting with experts and other service providers
- Legal research and writing, including preparing papers for National conferences, with publishing opportunities
- Advocating through the internal DCF administrative processes
- Representing clients in pretrial proceedings, hearings, trials, and interlocutory appeals
- Advocating with DCF and other providers for appropriate services for clients and other family members
- Coordinating advocacy with CPCS, CAFL, and FJA social work staff
- Providing direct support to child welfare attorneys through advisory case support, requests for assistance, and ongoing regionally based training
- Assisting with the creation of annual plans for young adult and transition age youth advocacy training programs and projects
- Participating in state and local coalitions to drive policy reform
- Maintaining strong working relationships with the local Juvenile Court, Probation, DYS, DCF, DESE, community agencies, and other stakeholders in the Juvenile and Child Welfare systems
- Other duties as assigned
Benefits
- Legal training and support to attorneys and social workers
- Free advice and consultation to attorneys across the state
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
