Murder Assignment Assistant - Internal Only Posting

The Private Counsel Division’s Criminal Trial Support Unit is seeking a Senior Administrative Assistant to work as Murder Assignment Assistant. This position is open to all Senior Administrative Assistants within CPCS.

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.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Private Counsel Division’s Criminal Trial Support Unit (“CTSU”) is seeking an Administrative Assistant to work as a Murder Assignment Assistant. This position is one of five Murder Assignment Assistants and is open to all Senior Administrative Assistants within CPCS. 

Stipend – $4,000.00 per year paid on a biweekly basis. 

Hours: on-call one 24-hour period per week and every 5th weekend from 4 p.m. Friday until 8:30 a.m. on Monday.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Candidates must: 

• Be a Senior Administrative Assistant or higher; and,
• Have access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

• Strong organizational and oral and written communication skills;
• Strong job knowledge and judgment;
• Flexibility;
• Ability to establish effective working relationships to interact effectively with the attorneys and court staff; and,
• Strict adherence to confidentiality. 

The needs of the relevant Division and Office will be factored into the decision for who is selected for the Murder Assignment Assistant positions as murder assignments require work done outside of regular Senior Administrative Assistant responsibilities one day per week. Approval of current supervisors to take on these additional duties is required.

RESPONSIBILITIES

In addition to pre-existing Senior Administrative Assistant duties, the Murder Assignment Assistant is responsible for answering the murder assignment phone one day and night per week (from 8:30 AM until 8:30 AM the following morning) and every 5^th weekend (from 4:00 PM Friday until 8:30 AM on Monday) and making any contemporaneous approved murder assignments. The murder assignments may require time in excess of the 35-hour work week, with such extra time to be logged and paid as overtime or accrued as equivalent compensatory time. 

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.