Job Description

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) Fall River Public Defender Division currently has openings for 2026 Fall semester interns. Here in the Fall River PDD office, we represent adults accused of felony and misdemeanor offenses. We also represent low-income clients who face civil commitment based on mental illness or substance use.

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.

We offer law student interns a variety of experiences and assignments, supervised by veteran attorneys, as well as valuable training. Interns will work closely with lawyers, social workers, and investigators by providing legal representation and advocacy to indigent clients who are charged with criminal offenses in both the District and Superior Courts. This unit will provide interns with a wide range of opportunities, including, but not limited to, legal research and writing, arraignment and bail advocacy, second seating trials, pretrial investigations including visiting crime scenes, locating and interviewing witnesses.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

Law students who have successfully completed or are enrolled in an evidence or trial practice class, with the written approval by their Dean, may represent clients under the supervision of a staff public defender in court per SJC Rule 3:03.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Law Students who have taken classes in evidence, criminal law, constitutional law, critical legal theory, and/or trial advocacy
• SJC Rule 3.03 certification

Responsibilities

RESPONSIBILITIES

Interns will work directly with attorneys, investigators, and social service advocates on the following:

• Client interviews;
• Arraignment and bail arguments;
• Legal research;
• Drafting pretrial motions, affidavits and legal memoranda;
• Pretrial investigation, including visiting the locations of alleged crimes and interviewing witnesses; and,
• Pretrial Motion arguments.

Interns must agree to keep confidential all information involving client representation, and the work they perform on behalf of our clients.

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