Trial Attorney - CAFL Worcester

OverviewThe Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency for Massachusetts, seeks an attorney to work in the Children and Family Law Division (CAFL) Worcester Office. CAFL provides legal representation to children and indigent parents in family regulation cases, including care and protection (C&P) proceedings, children requiring assistance (CRA) cases, termination of parental rights, guardianship-of-a-minor cases, and other child custody proceedings where the Department of Children and Families (DCF) is a party or where the court is considering granting custody to DCF.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.ValuesDIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENTCPCS 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. CPCS embraces diversity, equity and inclusion as core values and maintains a commitment to: (1) ensure staff represent a broad range of human differences; (2) provide a respectful work climate; 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 certainty is the responsibility of every CPCS team member.Agency OverviewCPCS 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 many contexts and bring multiple cultural dimensions to the matters we address. This reality creates a need for CPCS staff to be culturally competent and able to work with people of different races, ethnicities, genders and/or sexual orientation identities, abilities, and limited English proficiency, among other protected characteristics.Office OverviewThe CAFL Worcester Trial Office is a robust defender team, including attorneys, paralegals, social workers, and administrative support staff. They provide legal representation and advocacy throughout Worcester County to children and indigent adults in care and protection, CRA, termination of parental rights, guardianship-of-a-minor, and other custody and adoption proceedings. Team members work to help CAFL clients achieve their legal and life goals.The office is centrally located in Worcester and is within walking distance of Union Station, which hosts WRTA bus service and MBTA commuter rail service.Position OverviewCAFL’s legal advocacy plays a critical role in cases that affect families. For a parent in a C&P case, a skilled CAFL lawyer may mean the difference between reunification and termination of parental rights. For a teenager in a CRA case, CAFL advocacy may secure special education services. For siblings seeking stability after court-ordered adoption, a CAFL attorney fights to ensure a permanent home with siblings together.New Trial Attorneys in the CAFL Offices begin their CPCS career with a nationally recognized, comprehensive, skills-based training course. Continuing legal education programs for new and experienced Trial Attorneys are offered to keep attorneys up to date on the law and to support zealous representation.ResponsibilitiesThe duties of the Trial Attorney include:Interviewing adult clients;Visiting and interviewing child clients;Conducting legal research and writing;Conducting pre-72 hour hearing investigations including reviewing pleadings and exhibits, locating and interviewing witnesses, preparing witnesses, gathering facts from the DCF social worker and other collateral providers, consulting with other parties' counsel regarding their position, collecting and reviewing documentary evidence, identifying objections to testimonial and documentary evidence, and drafting appropriate motions;Obtaining the entire DCF file, reviewing DCF action plans, proposing plan changes, advising client on whether to sign, meeting with court investigator, preparing client to meet with court investigator, and preparing motions to strike inadmissible evidence contained in the court investigator report;Preparing necessary motions regarding outstanding discovery, identifying matters requiring further hearing (e.g., services, DCF reasonable efforts, visitation), preparing pre-trial memo, and developing trial strategy with client;Preparing for Foster Care Reviews;Reviewing DCF's permanency plans and filing objections, if necessary;Investigating and representing client's position in extraordinary medical treatment hearings;Filing motions challenging DCF decisions;Conducting care and protection trials and termination of parental rights trials;Representing clients in interlocutory proceedings;Working with the legal team, including social workers and paralegals;Conducting post-judgment representation; and,Other duties as assigned.Minimum Entrance RequirementsA Trial Attorney 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, 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;All Trial Attorney positions require travel; access to reliable transportation throughout the state is necessary; and,Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely.Qualifications/SkillsForeign language skills are desirable;Trial experience in termination of parental rights cases as counsel for a parent and/or as counsel for a child or children is preferred;A demonstrated commitment to zealous advocacy in the representation of indigent persons in family regulation cases;Strong interpersonal and analytical skills;Ability to work in a community and defense-oriented capacity, both independently and collaboratively.EEO StatementThe 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 LocationUnited States-Massachusetts-Worcester - 120 Front StreetJobLegal ServicesAgencyCommittee for Public Counsel ServicesScheduleFull-timeShiftDayJob PostingSep 15, 2025, 5:35:55 PMNumber of Openings1Salary79,800.00 - 129,966.00 YearlyPotentially Eligible for a Hybrid Work Schedule: Yes #J-18808-Ljbffr

Created: 2025-09-18