Massachusetts Jobs

* *ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY DIRECTLY THROUGH THE CPCS iCIMS WEBSITE. IF YOU APPLY THROUGH MASS CAREERS AND DO NOT COMPLETE THE CPCS iCIMS APPLICATION, YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION. PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO APPLY (CUT AND PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER IF THE EMBEDDED LINK DOES NOT WORK): https://careers-publiccounsel.icims.com/jobs/2619/administrative-assistant-i---part-time---cafl-family-justice-advocates-springfield/job The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking to fill a part-time Administrative Assistant I position for its Family Justice Advocates (FJA) Office in Springfield. FJA is CPCS’ Children and Family Law Division (CAFL) “conflicts office” in Springfield. This is a part-time benefits eligible position that is scheduled to work 19 hours per week (0.54 FTE). 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 Family Justice Advocates is CAFL’s “conflicts trial office,” located in Springfield, Massachusetts. FJA provides legal representation to children and indigent parents and guardians in family regulation cases in which (a) a CAFL staff attorney in a non-conflict office has been appointed to another party to the case or (b) a conflict of interest prevents CAFL staff attorneys in non-conflict offices from representing any party in the case. Alternatively, an attorney in FJA may be appointed to represent a party in a case in which CAFL’s existing Springfield trial office attorneys are unable to represent any party because of conflicts relating to a current or former client of a CPCS staff attorney. FJA is considered a separate law firm from all other CPCS offices for conflict of interest purposes. To this end, it has a separate managerial system, separate physical offices and computer/technology systems, and other mechanisms in place to ensure its separation for conflicts purposes from other CPCS offices. All CAFL trial offices, including FJA offices, are robust defender teams, including attorneys, paralegals, social workers, and administrative support staff. They provide legal representation and advocacy throughout Massachusetts to children and indigent parents in care and protection, child requiring assistance, termination of parental rights, and guardianship-of-a-minor cases, as well as other types of custody and adoption proceedings. Team members work diligently to help and support FJA clients to achieve their legal and life goals. The office is located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the third largest city in Massachusetts, is located in Western Massachusetts along the Connecticut River. It is centrally located: Northampton is 25 minutes away, Hartford is 27 minutes away, Worcester is 55 minutes away, Boston is 90 minutes away, and New York City is 2 ½ hours away. Springfield is the birthplace of basketball and the home of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Several top colleges and universities are close by, and the City hosts many parks and museums, including “The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum” (Dr. Seuss, otherwise known as Theodore Geisel, was born in Springfield). Springfield is home of the Springfield Thunderbirds hockey team (American Hockey League) and the Western Mass. Zombies (East Coast Basketball League), and is within a short drive to many farms and orchards. POSITION OVERVIEW The Administrative Assistant I is a key member of CPCS trial office staff, supporting the Attorney in Charge in running the day-to-day duties of a fast-paced legal office. The Administrative Assistant I must be able to provide excellent support for the staff in the office as well as coordinate communications with other CAFL and FJA offices, as well as other CPCS units such as HR, Facilities, and IT. This is a benefits eligible part-time (0.54 FTE; 19 hours/week) position and reports to the Supervising Administrative Assistant III. RESPONSIBILITIES * The Administrative Assistant I will support a team of attorneys by: * Opening and closing cases, including running conflict checks; * Word processing, including preparation of CORI requests, subpoenas, motions, letters, running sheet entries, etc.; * Filing, faxing, photocopying, scanning, and shredding documents, transcriptions and transcript requests and other document and record requests as necessary; * Providing telephone and reception services; * Communicating effectively with internal and external contacts at all levels, and across diverse and underrepresented groups; and, * Other duties as assigned. EEO StatementThe 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 *MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS * Applicants must have at least (A) one year of full-time, or equivalent part-time, experience in administrative work or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below: Substitutions: An Associate’s or higher degree with a major in business administration, business management, or public administration may be substituted for the required experience. Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed. Applicants must also have access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely. *QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS The ideal candidate will be a person who is highly organized, creative and detail oriented, enjoys interacting with people in a friendly work environment, and will take satisfaction from working in an agency whose commitment is to protect the fundamental legal rights of indigent persons. * Communicating effectively with internal and external contacts at all levels, and across diverse and underrepresented groups; * Strong communication, organizational, and detail skills; * Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to interact effectively with diverse colleagues at all levelsof the agency, and the ability to work as an effective team member; * Flexibility, and strict adherence to confidentiality; * Typing skill of 50 to 60 wpm preferred; * Familiarity with advanced Word formatting and editing, and Microsoft Excel; * Legal office experience a plus; and, * Foreign language skills are strongly preferred. ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY DIRECTLY THROUGH THE CPCS iCIMS WEBSITE. IF YOU APPLY THROUGH MASS CAREERS AND DO NOT COMPLETE THE CPCS iCIMS APPLICATION, YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION. PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO APPLY (CUT AND PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER IF THE EMBEDDED LINK DOES NOT WORK): * https://careers-publiccounsel.icims.com/jobs/2619/administrative-assistant-i---part-time---cafl-family-justice-advocates-springfield/job *Job: Administrative Services* *Organization: Committee for Pub Counsel Srvc *Title: *Administrative Assistant I Location: Massachusetts-Springfield - 1350 Main Street Requisition ID: 2400066S