Job Description

Overview

The Committee for Public Counsel Services, the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking to fill a full-time Senior Administrative Assistant position to support the Office of the General and the Strategic Litigation Unit.

This position will be based in Boston and is eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

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 OVERVIEWS

The Office of the General Counsel is responsible for providing legal counsel to the Agency and representing and advocating for the Agency before the Legislature and Executive Branch of the government, which includes presenting oral and written testimony to legislative committees. The Office of the General Counsel also drafts, files, analyzes, and tracks legislation that affects the rights of CPCS clients and Agency operations.

The Strategic Litigation Unit (SLU) focuses on the right to counsel and the elimination of systemic injustices impacting CPCS clients, and attempts to remove obstacles faced by CPCS clients through litigation, data collection and analysis, and attorney support. The SLU is responsible for litigation aimed at achieving systemic and institutional reform in all of CPCS’ practice areas.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Senior Administrative Assistant will be seated in the Office of the General Counsel but will also support the Strategic Litigation Unit. The Senior Administrative Assistant will provide broad administrative services for these two offices as well as take the lead on processing Public Service Loan Forgiveness certifications for private counsel vendors.

This is a full-time (35 hours/week) position and reports to the Assistant General Counsel.

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.

The successful applicant must have:

• Associate’s degree in a related area and at least two years of experience as an administrative assistant or office manager; executive level secretarial skills; or an equivalent combination of education, training, experience, and skills are required; and,
• Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

Substitutions:

• A bachelor’s or higher degree in a related area may be substituted for one year 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

Candidates should possess:

• Ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, meet deadlines, and deliver high-quality work;
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written;
• Strong organizational abilities;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and to exercise considerable judgment and discretion;
• Previous administrative assistant, office manager or similar experience and knowledge of general office procedures (e.g., correspondence, scheduling, filing);
• Typing skill of 50 to 60 wpm preferred;
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint);
• Good problem-solving skills;
• Ability to establish effective working relationships and to work as part of a team; and,
• Previous experience in a legal setting is preferred

Responsibilities

RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities of the Senior Administrative Assistant include, but are not limited to:

• Processing Public Service Loan Forgiveness certifications for private counsel vendors;
• Providing a broad range of administrative support, including phone reception, word and data processing, filing, copying, scanning, and redacting legal documents;
• Maintaining and organizing paper and electronic files;
• Processing, filing, sending, and responding to written and electronic correspondence;
• Assisting with other projects to improve the quality of legal representation and to enhance client services, including researching and responding to client requests for documentation;
• Ensuring that office systems and agency procedures and practices are administered effectively; communicating effectively with internal and external contacts at all levels;
• Assisting with front desk coverage including all receptionist responsibilities as needed;
• Maintaining and updating department websites; 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