Paralegal

Paralegal - Immigration Impact Unit (250008ET)

The Immigration Impact Unit of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the public defender agency of Massachusetts, is seeking paralegals to work as part of the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative (MACI). Under the direction of the Supervising Attorneys, the paralegals will support MACI Staff Attorneys and Supervising Attorneys in their direct representation of individuals in removal proceedings.

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.

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 Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative (MACI) office located within the IIU will be a new legal services program for immigration representation that will embrace the tenets of public defense and universal representation to provide zealous, holistic, and client‑centered representation. The MACI‑IIU office will provide full‑scope representation to people in removal proceedings, both detained and non‑detained. The office will set standards of practice and create training to increase the capacity for removal defense representation within Massachusetts.

The Immigration Impact Unit is seeking paralegals to work as part of the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative (MACI). Under the direction of the Supervising Attorneys, the paralegals will support MACI staff attorneys and supervising attorneys in their direct representation of individuals in removal proceedings. Paralegals will support both detained and non‑detained clients in removal and bond proceedings before the Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals, related proceedings before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS") and, when appropriate, in Federal Court.

• Preparing and reviewing immigration forms with clients;
• Collecting and organizing necessary supporting documents from clients and family;
• Drafting affidavits with clients, friends, and family for use in immigration proceedings;
• Assisting in client communication and correspondence, attending client visits in…