Administrative Assistant - YAD Springfield
Job Description
****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/3018/supervising-administrative-assistant---pdd-framingham/job *** **
The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency for Massachusetts, is seeking to fill an Administrative Assistant position for the Youth Advocacy Division (YAD) Springfield Office. The Administrative Assistant position is a full-time, benefits-eligible position that supports a busy public defender trial office.
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.
DIVISION OVERVIEW
The Youth Advocacy Division (YAD), the juvenile defender division of CPCS, is committed to ensuring that every indigent child in Massachusetts has access to zealous legal representation in delinquency, GCL Revocation, juvenile murder, juvenile appeals, and youthful offender cases from a diverse and ever improving community of juvenile defenders consisting of both private assigned counsel and staff public defenders. YAD provides leadership, training, support, and oversight to the indigent juvenile defense bar in Massachusetts. As youth in Massachusetts have a right to jury trials, the Attorney in Charge oversees a trial office which integrates the work of attorneys, a social service advocate, and administrative assistants to fully address the legal and developmental needs of our clients.
OFFICE OVERVIEW
Springfield is a city in Massachusetts and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern Mill River. As 2020, the city's population was 155,929, making it the third-largest city in Massachusetts, the fourth-most populous city in New England. Founded in 1636 as the first Springfield in the New World, today the city is the urban, economic, and media capital of Massachusetts' section of the Connecticut River Valley, colloquially known as the Pioneer Valley. Springfield has several nicknames-"The City of Firsts," due to the many innovations developed there such as the first American dictionary, the first American gas-powered automobile, "The City of Homes," due to its Victorian residential architecture, and "Hoop City," as basketball was invented in Springfield in 1891 by James Naismith. The YAD Springfield office covers juvenile courts in the four most western counties in the state: Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire.
POSITION OVERVIEW
YAD is seeking to fill an Administrative Assistant position to work with attorneys who provide legal representation and advocacy to youth in misdemeanor and felony cases in area courts.
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The Administrative Assistant supports the office by working on myriad tasks and responsibilities to support a busy public defender trial office. The Administrative Assistant will run conflict checks, open and close cases, and assist in the coordination of time-sensitive case assignments and maintaining systems to ensure proper tracking of case assignments.
The Administrative Assistant will also organize case files and help develop processes to ensure that prompt and comprehensive responses to calls from clients, courts, and other stakeholders occur. The Administrative assistant also assists with reception and phone coverage in the office.
The Administrative Assistant reports to the Supervising Administrative Assistant.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Administrative Assistant will support a team of attorneys by:
- Providing administrative support, including opening and closing cases, running conflict checks, filing, copying, scanning, and handling correspondence;
- Word and data processing, including preparation of CORI requests, subpoenas, motions, letters, running sheet entries, etc.;
- Confirming appointments and greeting clients, witnesses, families, and other individuals involved in cases at the front desk of the office.
- Filing, faxing, photocopying, scanning, and shredding documents, transcriptions and transcript requests and other document and record requests as necessary;
- Providing telephone and reception services;
- Assisting the maintenance of the electronic client and case files and updating the attorney and case databases as necessary;
- Assisting with 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;
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
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 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.
- Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint);
- Strong communication, organizational, and detail skills;
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to interact effectively with diverse colleagues at all levels of the agency, and the ability to work as an effective team member;
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and to exercise considerable judgment and discretion;
- Flexibility, and strict adherence to confidentiality;
- Typing skill of 50 to 60 wpm preferred;
- Legal office experience is preferred; and,
- Foreign language skills are strongly preferred.
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 .
**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/3027/administrative-assistant---yad-springfield/job *****
Perks and Benefits
Health and Wellness
- Health Insurance
- Health Reimbursement Account
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Short-Term Disability
- Long-Term Disability
- FSA
- HSA
- Mental Health Benefits
Parental Benefits
- Adoption Assistance Program
- Family Support Resources
Work Flexibility
- Flexible Work Hours
- Hybrid Work Opportunities
Office Life and Perks
- Commuter Benefits Program
Vacation and Time Off
- Paid Vacation
- Paid Holidays
- Personal/Sick Days
- Volunteer Time Off
Financial and Retirement
- Pension
- Financial Counseling
Professional Development
- Promote From Within
- Mentor Program
- Access to Online Courses
- Lunch and Learns
- Internship Program
- Leadership Training Program
- Associate or Rotational Training Program
Diversity and Inclusion
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program