Oversight Counsel - Criminal Appeals Unit, Private Counsel Division

Overview

The Committee for Public Counsel Services, the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking applicants from experienced attorneys to fill two newly created positions in the Private Counsel Division’s Criminal Appeals Unit. These Post-Conviction Oversight Attorneys will provide support to, and oversight of, post-conviction panel members, evaluate, present, and respond to requests for screening counsel, and screen post-conviction cases as well as handle a small caseload of new trial motions and appeals.

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

C
ourage
• 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.

UNIT OVERVIEW

The Private Counsel Division Criminal Appeals Unit (CAU) is expanding in an effort to strengthen its support and oversight for collateral attacks on convictions and to reduce case assignment backlogs.

The CAU assigns attorneys to approximately 800 post-conviction cases yearly. These are cases in which an individual has been convicted of a crime after a trial or has pleaded guilty to a crime.

The approximately 400 attorneys on the post-conviction panel, whom the unit oversees, litigate direct appeals and new trial motions and evaluate ("screen") cases after a direct appeal has concluded or after a guilty plea to determine whether there are meritorious grounds to bring a new trial motion.

POSITION OVERVIEW

We are seeking two experienced practitioners who will provide support and oversight to members of the post-conviction panel. These new positions will have two main areas of responsibility in addition to a small caseload of new trial motions and appeals.

The Post-Conviction Oversight Attorneys will act as a resource for panel members pursuing post-conviction collateral attacks on convictions, act as co-counsel for panel members litigating post-conviction evidentiary hearings in the trial court, assist with trainings and moot arguments, and assist with client and attorney…