Assignment Coordinator - Private Counsel - Criminal Appeals Unit

Overview

The Committee for Public Counsel Services, the public defender agency of Massachusetts, is seeking applicants for a full-time Assignment Coordinator to support the work of the Private Counsel Division Criminal Appeals Unit. The Assignment Coordinator communicates with clients, attorneys, and other community members and ensures that essential information regarding case assignments and other information is entered into the appropriate databases.

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.

OFFICE OVERVIEW

The Criminal Appeals Unit assigns attorneys to approximately 800 post-conviction cases yearly.  These are cases in which a person has been found guilty of a crime after a trial or has pleaded guilty to a crime.  The unit also oversees approximately 400 attorneys on the post-conviction panel. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Private Counsel Division is seeking candidates for an Assignment Coordinator position in the Criminal Appeals Unit (CAU) to support the work of the CAU. The Assignment Coordinator is a key member of the Criminal Appeals Unit and works in concert with the director, unit attorneys, paralegals and other administrative staff. The Assignment Coordinator communicates with clients, attorneys, and other community members and ensures that essential information regarding case assignments and other information is entered into the appropriate databases.

The Assignment Coordinator is expected to maintain a professional demeanor while working in a high paced work environment and maintain confidentiality.  The Assignment Coordinator is also responsible for associated administrative and clerical duties as needed.

This is a full-time (35 hours/week) position and reports to the Director of Criminal Appeals. This position will be based in Boston and is eligible for a hybrid work schedule with a minimum of two days in the office required.

Qualifications

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate will be a person who is both highly organized and detail-oriented and enjoys interacting with people in a friendly work environment and will take satisfaction from working in an agency which is committed to protecting the fundamental legal rights of indigent persons.

Candidates must have: 

• Two years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, experience in administrative work; and,
• Access to a home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

Substitutions: 

• A bachelor’s or higher degree may be substituted for two years of the required experience. Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

 Applications will be strengthened by the following:

• Ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, meet deadlines, and deliver high-quality work;
• Excellent written and verbal communication;
• Strong organizational and detail skills;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and to exercise considerable judgment and discretion;
• Previous administrative assistant or similar experience and knowledge of general office procedures (e.g., correspondence, scheduling, filing);
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint); Microsoft OneDrive and Monday.com;
• Ability to establish effective working relationships and to work as part of a team; and,
• Good problem-solving skills

Responsibilities

RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Answering the unit’s phone and monitoring and tracking incoming communications from clients, attorneys, and other community members to ensure a prompt and comprehensive response to all inquiries; 
• Coordinating time-sensitive case assignments, including entering assignment information into databases, and emailing records of assignments to appropriate parties; 
• Maintaining electronic files, databases, and spreadsheets, including, but not limited to incoming communications, CLE records, complaint databases, case administrative documents and filed briefs; client complaints, and others as needed;
• Communicating with clients, attorneys, and courts via telephone, email, and mail correspondence;
• Providing administrative support, including word and data processing, spreadsheet maintenance, filing, copying, scanning, and handling correspondence as needed;
• Assisting with front desk coverage as needed, including all receptionist responsibilities;
• Assisting with other projects to improve the quality of legal representation and to enhance client services; 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