Supervising Administrative Assistant III - PDD Fall River - Committee for Public Counsel

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking a Supervising Administrative Assistant III for our Public Defender Division Fall River Office, covering Bristol County.  The Supervising AA III supports the Attorney-in-Charge in running the day-to-day duties of this fast-paced trial office.  The Fall River Office provides legal representation and advocacy to indigent adults in criminal misdemeanor and felony cases in area courts in Bristol County.

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

The Fall River PDD office provides public defense services in Bristol County. The office is in the Sagamore Mill building in the North End of Fall River, approximately a half mile from Roger’s Coney Island. The entrance is in the rear of the building. Free parking is available. 

Attorneys assigned to the Office represent clients in the Fall River and Attleboro District Courts and in the Fall River Superior Court.  The Trial Attorneys are supported by staff that includes investigators, social service advocates and administrative assistants. The ability to represent clients is enhanced by the fact that the juvenile division (the Youth Advocacy Division) and the Children and Family Law division of CPCS for Bristol County are in the same office building as the PDD office. The Office is close-knit with a strong culture of teamwork and cooperation and is led by experienced trial attorneys.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Supervising Administrative Assistant III 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 environment.  The Supervising Administrative Assistant III is responsible for supervising the Administrative Assistant I in the office, including delegation of work responsibilities, preparation of annual performance evaluations, and approval of time and attendance.  The Supervising Administrative Assistant III must be able to provide excellent support for the staff in the office as well as coordinate communications with other CPCS units such as HR, Facilities, and IT.

The Supervising Administrative Assistant III reports to the Attorney-in-Charge.

This is a full-time (35 hours/week) position.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must have:

•  Associates degree in related area;
• At least three years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, experience in administrative work;
• An equivalent combination of education, experience, and skills; and,
• Access to a personal computer with 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

• Strong communication, organizational and detail skills;
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint);
• Ability to establish effective working relationships and to work as a team leader;
• 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.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The primary responsibilities of a Supervising Administrative Assistant III include, but are not limited to:

• Supervising Administrative Assistant (AA) staff including preparation of annual performance evaluations, approval of time & attendance, and professional training;
• Delegating administrative support work in the office to AA staff;
• Supporting the Attorney-in-Charge on day-to-day duties of running the office as well as special projects and coordinating communication, support, and resources with HR, Facilities, and IT;
• Managing the AA staff on opening and closing case files, maintaining open case files, and filing, scanning and shredding of closed cases;
• Participating in the recruitment, selection, and hiring process of office AA staff;
• Providing administrative support, including word and data processing, filing, copying, scanning, and handling correspondence;
• Coordinating and assisting with projects relating to personnel management, program evaluation, and other areas;
• Creating statistical reports regarding attorney caseloads and disposition of cases and maintaining data collected;
• Planning, coordinating, and calendaring meetings and events;
• Assisting with other projects to improve the quality of legal representation and to enhance client services;
• 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