Trial Attorney - PDD Hampden County Conflict Advocacy Office

Commonwealth of Massachusetts•Springfield, MA

15d

About The Position

The Public Defender Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the Massachusetts public defender agency, is seeking Trial Attorneys to represent adult clients in the District and Superior Courts throughout Hampden County. The newly created Hampden County Conflict Advocacy Office (CAO) will be located at 1441 Main Street in Springfield and housed within the Family Justice Advocates, the Children and Family Law Conflicts Office. The CAO will represent clients throughout Hampden County in the District and Superior Courts and act as the Conflicts Office for the Public Defender Division when a conflict of interest prevents a PDD staff attorney from representing a client. The CAO will be considered a separate law firm from all other CPCS offices for conflict of interest purposes. The Public Defender Division provides legal representation and advocacy to indigent clients who are charged with criminal offenses in both the District and Superior Courts. New Trial Attorneys in the Public Defender Division begin their CPCS career with a nationally recognized, comprehensive, skills-based training course to ensure they are ready to represent their clients to their full capabilities. Continuing legal education programs for new and experienced Trial Attorneys are held periodically to guarantee our Trial Attorneys are up to date on the law and have the skills necessary to provide zealous representation to their clients.

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, as a law school graduate under Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:03, or as an attorney licensed in another jurisdiction who is covered by Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:04.
A recent law school graduate who is ineligible to practice under SJC Rule 3:03 will be hired as a paralegal with the understanding that they will be promoted to trial attorney once admitted to practice in Massachusetts
Access to an automobile in order to travel to courts, clients, and investigation locations that are not easily accessible by public transportation
Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely
A demonstrated commitment to the principle of zealous advocacy in the representation of indigent persons in criminal cases
Strong interpersonal and analytical skills
Ability to work in a community and defense-oriented capacity, both independently and collaboratively

Responsibilities

Interviewing clients
Arraignment and bail advocacy
Legal research and writing
Pretrial investigation including visiting crime scenes, locating and interviewing witnesses, collecting and reviewing documentary evidence
Preparing and arguing pretrial motions, affidavits and legal memoranda
Dispositional investigations and advocacy
Jury and bench trials of criminal cases
Representation of clients in interlocutory proceedings
Where appropriate, working collaboratively with private attorneys on cases assigned through the Private Counsel Division of CPCS
Other duties as assigned