Attorney in Charge - CAFL Brockton

Overview

The Children and Family Law Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the Massachusetts public defender agency, is seeking to fill the Attorney in Charge position in its Brockton Trial Office.  The Attorney in Charge will lead and supervise a multidisciplinary team in providing high-quality representation to children and parents in family regulation cases and handle a small caseload of individual clients.

 

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.

 

DIVISION OVERVIEW

 

The Children and Family Law Division (CAFL) of CPCS provides children and indigent parents/caretakers zealous legal representation in care and protection, child requiring assistance, termination of parental rights and guardianship-of-a-minor cases through a diverse community of family regulation defenders. CAFL works to defend the rights of families to be free from unwarranted governmental interference. CAFL provides leadership, training, and support to the family regulation defense bar in Massachusetts.

 

OFFICE OVERVIEW

 

The CAFL Brockton Office is a close-knit group who strongly believe in community engagement and partnership to assist clients as they navigate the child welfare legal system and is committed to seeking racial justice for our clients.

 

Brockton is the seventh largest city in Massachusetts and is sometimes referred to as the "City of Champions," due to the success of native boxers Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler as well as its successful Brockton High School sports programs.  Brockton also hosts its own amateur baseball team, the Brockton Rox.  The CAFL Brocton office is located in downtown Brockton within walking distance to the Plymouth County Judicial Complex.  Brockton is a diverse community which includes a large Cape Verdean population.

 

POSITION OVERVIEW

 

The Attorney in Charge (AIC) oversees the CAFL Brockton trial office to fully address the legal needs of the office’s clients. The AIC plays a significant leadership role by managing the local office, helping with the management of CAFL as a whole, representing individual clients, and working closely with the private bar to build a strong community of family regulation defenders.

 

The CAFL Brockton office is comprised