Trial Attorney - CAFL Worcester

Overview The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking 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, actions to terminate parental rights, guardianship-of-a-minor cases, and other child custody matters where DCF is a party or custody is being considered by the court. 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 respecting the diverse circumstances of each client. CPCS embraces diversity, equity and inclusion as core values and commits to: (1) Representing a broad range of human differences and experience; (2) Providing a respectful work climate that supports success; and (3) Promoting the dignity and well-being of all staff. CPCS leadership ensures equity, diversity, and inclusion, with responsibility for achieving these goals shared across the CPCS community. AGENCY OVERVIEW CPCS is the state agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing an attorney when required to represent someone who cannot afford one. The agency handles cases in criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, family regulation, guardianship, mental health, sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry matters, along with related appeals and post-judgment proceedings. The clients we represent are diverse and bring many cultural dimensions to our work, creating a need for culturally competent staff who can work with people of different races, ethnicities, genders and/or sexual orientation identities, abilities, and limited English proficiency, among other protected characteristics. OFFICE OVERVIEW The CAFL Worcester Trial Office is a defense team with attorneys, paralegals, social workers, and administrative staff. They provide legal representation and advocacy throughout Worcester County to children and indigent adults in care and protection, child requiring assistance, termination of parental rights, guardianship-of-a-minor cases, and other custody and adoption proceedings. Team members work to help CAFL clients achieve their legal and life goals. The office is located in Worcester and accessible by public transit. Worcester is home to the Worcester Red Sox (WooSox). POSITION OVERVIEW CAFL’s legal advocacy plays a critical role in cases affecting families. For a parent in a C&P case, a skilled CAFL lawyer can influence whether a family reunifies or a rights termination occurs. For a teen in a CRA case, CAFL advocacy can help secure special education services to support schooling and reduce foster placement risk. For siblings seeking stability after adoption, a CAFL attorney fights for a permanent home and family unity. New Trial Attorneys in the CAFL Offices participate in a nationally recognized, comprehensive, skills-based training program to prepare for client representation. Continuing legal education is provided to keep Trial Attorneys current with the law and advocacy practices. RESPONSIBILITIES 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 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 REQUIREMENTS A 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. To apply, please submit a resume and personal mission statement of no more than two pages detailing your interest in the position, your personal qualities, background, and skills, and what you hope to achieve in your work. QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS Foreign 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 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 . To apply (repeat): #J-18808-Ljbffr

Created: 2025-09-21