Duties of MHLD Trial Attorneys include, but are not limited to: Visiting with and interviewing clients at locked psychiatric facilities; Conducting pre-trial investigation and discovery, including obtaining and reviewing facility and other medical and psychiatric records, and interviewing facility staff and other potential witnesses; Working extensively with forensic psychiatric and psychological clinicians, and other experts; Locating and interviewing witnesses and consulting with service providers; Working with the staff social services advocate to find alternatives to hospitalization; Conducting extensive legal and medical research; Conducting legal research and writing; Representing clients in pretrial proceedings, hearings, trials, interlocutory appeals, and post-commitment relief proceedings; and, Other duties as assigned. The Division consists of an administrative office, which is responsible for certification, oversight, and training of panel attorneys, the assignment of commitment cases, and effective administration of the MHLD; an Appellate Unit that trains, certifies, and oversees appellate attorneys and represents individuals in appeals; and four trial offices that represent indigent clients facing involuntary commitment to both public and private psychiatric facilities throughout the Commonwealth and some guardianship proceedings.