Supervising Staff Attorney – YAD Springfield

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS 

• A Supervising Attorney must be committed to serving a culturally diverse, low-income population and must be eligible to practice law in Massachusetts, either as a member of the Massachusetts bar in good standing, as a law school graduate under Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:03, or as the member of the bar of another jurisdiction eligible to engage in limited Massachusetts practice under Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:04;
• A minimum of five years’ experience and a demonstrated commitment to the principle of zealous advocacy in the representation of youth in delinquency and youthful offender cases;
• Access to an automobile in order to travel to courts, clients, and investigation locations that are not easily accessible by public transportation; and,
• Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS The following attributes are preferred for the position of Supervising Staff Attorney:

• Significant jury trial experience as lead counsel in criminal cases, especially juvenile defense;
• Willingness and ability to work positively and collaboratively with both the Attorney in Charge and Supervisees;
• Experience with a community-oriented defender practice, a demonstrated commitment to social justice issues and experience working with individuals of diverse backgrounds;
• Knowledge of adolescent development, positive youth development, and an understanding of juvenile legal practice and policy issues;
• Strong interpersonal skills, analytical ability, and legal skills;
• Ability to provide trauma informed and culturally competent representation;
• Experience with educational system advocacy and working with children
• The ability and commitment to complete annual performance evaluations in a timely and comprehensive manner;
• The knowledge, skills, and ability to, in both an office and remote settings, effectively supervise staff and represent clients; and,
• Fluency in Spanish is strongly preferred;

There is a strong preference for applicants with seven or more years’ experience in the representation of youth in delinquency and youthful offender cases.