Managing Director - Private Counsel Division - Criminal Conflict

Overview

The Committee for Public Counsel Services, the Massachusetts public defender agency, is seeking an experienced criminal defense attorney with management experience to serve as Managing Director in the Private Counsel Division.  This Managing Director will primarily oversee approximately four county-based Criminal Conflict trial offices which will be located across the Commonwealth.

The Managing Director may be seated in Boston or in any available Conflict Office space, depending on the needs of the Division and the candidate.

We fight for equal justice and human dignity by supporting our clients in achieving their legal and life goals. We zealously advocate for the rights of individuals and promote just public policy to protect the rights of all.

Our Values

Courage   •   Accountability   •   Respect   •   Excellence

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT

CPCS is committed to protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of our assigned clients through zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense, and the fullness of excellent legal representation.  We are dedicated to building and maintaining strong professional relationships, while striving to accept, listen to and respect the diverse circumstances of each client, as we dedicate ourselves to meeting their individual needs.  It is our CPCS mission to achieve these goals, and in furtherance thereof, we embrace and endorse diversity, equity and inclusion as our core values as we maintain a steadfast commitment to: (1) Ensure that CPCS management and staff members represent a broad range of human differences and experience; (2) Provide a work climate that is respectful and supports success; and (3) Promote the dignity and well-being of all staff members. CPCS leadership is responsible for ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion. The ability to achieve these goals with any level of certainty is ultimately the responsibility of each member of the CPCS community.

AGENCY OVERVIEW

CPCS is the state agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing an attorney when the state or federal constitution or a state statute requires the appointment of an attorney for a person who cannot afford to retain one.  The agency provides representation in criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, family regulation, guardianship, mental health, sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry cases, as well as in appeals and post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings related to those matters.

The clients we represent are diverse across every context imaginable and bring many unique cultural dimensions to the matters we address. This reality creates a critical need for CPCS staff to be culturally competent and able to work well with people of different races, ethnicities, genders and/or sexual orientation identities, abilities, and limited English proficiency, among other protected characteristics.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Managing Director (“MD”) will oversee the creation of the Criminal Conflict Offices which will consist of three to four trial offices serving Hampden, Middlesex, Suffolk, and Worcester counties.  The MD will also manage the various issues that arise and assists the Deputy Chief Counsel (“DCC”) in ensuring that CPCS staff representation in criminal matters is effective, client-centered, culturally competent, and meets agency practice standards.  The MD accomplishes this by providing supervision and support to the Attorneys in Charge (“AICs”) for each of those offices.  The MD also works collaboratively and in consultation with the other CPCS legal practice divisions, and CPCS legal support and operational units.

The MD reports directly to PC’s Deputy Chief Counsel.

Qualifications

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS 

• Applicants for this position must have a demonstrated commitment to the representation of indigent persons, a minimum of eight years’ experience as a practicing criminal defense attorney (including experiences representing indigent criminal clients and significant jury trial, appellate, or equivalent relevant experience), and four years of managerial experience;
• The Managing Director must be committed to serving a culturally diverse, low-income population and must be 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;
• Applicants must have access to reliable transportation in order to travel to offices, courts, and other locations throughout the state; and,
• Reliable home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

The position requires strong organizational skills, excellent communication skills, the ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, and the capacity for close attention to detail.

Responsibilities

RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities of the Managing Director include, but are not limited to:

• Supervising AICs and assisting them in effectively managing PC’s Criminal Conflict Offices to ensure that all staff meet performance and supervision standards; completing annual performance evaluations for all direct reports, and ensuring that direct reports complete annual performance reviews for all assigned staff in a timely and comprehensive manner; and ensuring AICs work collaboratively with HR to address employee relations and performance issues in compliance with the CPCS personnel policies;
• Supervising Senior Trial Counsel and working in collaboration with AICs to ensure there are clear expectations regarding case assignments, second seating, and mentoring obligations;
• Working with the Supervisor of Social Services Advocacy and the Supervisor of Investigations to ensure effective collaboration between Trial Attorneys, Social Services Advocates, and Investigators;
• Identifying and addressing systemic issues that may arise in the operation of Criminal Conflict Offices, including developing and recommending changes to guidelines or performance standards to the DCC;
• Developing and implementing a plan to collect and use case-related data to promote high-quality representation, ensuring that office and attorney caseloads are appropriate, and analyzing and reporting regularly on caseload statistics;
• Facilitating strong communication across the assigned region and with the Deputy Chief Counsel of the Private Counsel Division, and conducting regular visits to the assigned Offices;
• Assisting AICs in creating and maintaining a positive workplace environment, promoting professional development opportunities, and in consultation with HR, overseeing the hiring of staff in the assigned region;
• Working with the AICs, Training Department, and the Equity & Inclusion Director to ensure that Criminal Conflict Office staff are culturally competent, sensitive to issues of diversity, and provide client-centered representation;
• Investigating and responding to legal conflicts, legal ethics questions, and complaints regarding attorney and non-attorney staff;
• Working with Facilities and IT to address office space and technical needs;
• Maintaining a professional relationship and leadership role with the local judiciary, PDD and private bar, and working with AICs and local bar leadership to develop and maintain a collaborative working relationship between PC Criminal Conflict offices, PDD staff offices and bar advocate attorneys;
• Working with the PC DCC and other CPCS Division leadership to develop and execute CPCS and PC policies and strategic plans including developing and advancing legislative and policy agendas and other CPCS and cross-divisional goals and objectives;
• Working with the PC DCC to address budget and spending issues and preparing PC budget requests and spending plans; and,
• Other duties as assigned.

EEO Statement

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran or military status, genetic information, gender identity, or sexual orientation as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other applicable federal and state statutes and organizational policies.  Applicants who have questions about equal employment opportunity or who need reasonable accommodations can contact the Chief Human Resources Officer, Sandra DeBow-Huang, at sdebow@publiccounsel.net