Forensics Director - Training Department - Committee for Public Counsel

Overview

The Training Department of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking a Forensics Services Director to lead its Forensic Services Unit.  The Forensic Services Unit provides litigation support in Forensic matters to all staff and private assigned counsel at CPCS and maintains an expert-vendor database.

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.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

The Training Department provides high quality training to all staff and private assigned counsel. The Training Department, led by the Training Chief, includes the Forensic Services Unit, as well as four practice area Training Units - Criminal Defense, Children and Family Law, Youth Advocacy, and Mental Health Litigation. The Training Department also leads multiple cross- practice area working groups chaired and staffed by Training Department personnel. In addition to providing substantive and skill-based training to attorneys, the Training Department ensures all other professional staff members are provided appropriate training in their areas of expertise. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Training Department is seeking a Forensic Services Director to lead Forensic Services at CPCS. The Forensic Services Unit at CPCS provides litigation support in Forensic matters to all staff and private assigned counsel at CPCS and maintains an expert-vendor database.

The Director will consult with, and provide litigation support to, private assigned counsel and CPCS staff attorneys in all practice areas. Litigation support may constitute direct assistance with experts and resources, co-counseling or strategic planning, or amicus support on appeal. The Director oversees a centralized forensic expert and resource database. The Director also leads the CPCS Forensic Advisory Board, which includes 6 attorneys from all practice areas and one expert and meets regularly to collaborate on a range of projects aimed at improving access to quality forensic resources, training, and practice support. The Forensics Services Director supervises the Forensic Support Attorney.

The Forensic Services Director will report to the Training Chief.

Qualifications

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

• Must be eligible to practice law in Massachusetts, either as a member of the Massachusetts bar in good standing or as a member of the bar in another jurisdiction eligible to engage in the practice of law under SJC rule 3:04;
• A minimum of seven years’ experience as an attorney, at least five of which are as a litigator or attorney with an emphasis on forensic evidence;
• Access to an automobile in order to travel to courts, clients, and other locations not easily accessible by public transportation; and,
• Access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

The ideal candidate has extensive experience litigating a wide variety of forensic issues in both criminal and civil matters and is capable and willing to work closely with a variety of stakeholders to develop and improve forensic litigation resources and skills for trial and appellate attorneys and panel attorneys.  Candidates should be creative thinkers adept at developing and delivering engaging training programs.

A successful candidate will have most, if not all, of the following skills:

• Extensive experience litigating a wide variety of forensic science issues;
• Excellent analytic skills;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Ability to comprehend and explain scientific research;
• Ability to develop and deliver excellent training;
• Demonstrated management experience;
• Strong leadership skills;
• Commitment to serve racially, ethnically and culturally diverse low-income populations;
• Successful management experience;
• Successful project management experience;
• Superb organization and flexibility skills, along with strong time management abilities to manage a variety of priorities; and,
• Strong interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

RESPONSIBILITIES

The duties of the Forensic Services Director include but are not limited to:

• Leading the Training Department Forensics Services and supervising Forensic Services staff, including completing annual performance evaluations;
• Serving as the CPCS forensic litigation specialist, including taking a leadership position with forensic boards and providing feedback to the General Counsel on pending legislation involving forensic issues;
• Collaborating with the Strategic Litigation Unit, private assigned counsel, and staff attorneys in all practice areas to provide litigation support on forensic related matters;
• Collecting and disseminating information on emerging forensic issues;
• Overseeing the maintenance of a centralized forensic expert and resource database and forensics web page;
• Collaborating with the Forensic Advisory Board to develop and deliver forensic trainings, identify and evaluate expert providers, and foster vendor development;
• Working closely with the Chief Information Officer to develop protocols for the collection and processing of digital forensic evidence;
• Developing a plan for a case-specific forensic mentor program and, if approved by the Chief Counsel, overseeing the forensic mentor program; 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