Counsel - Northern Region

Official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Job Description - Counsel I - Northern Region (250008AG)

The Department of Revenue's core mission is to collect the revenues required to support the business of the Commonwealth, enhance the well-being of children by partnering with parents and caregivers to meet the financial needs of the family, and to assist Massachusetts cities and towns in sound and efficient fiscal management.

Our vision is to conduct our operations in a manner that inspires public confidence in government by administering and enforcing tax, child support and municipal finance laws in ways that are innovative, customer-focused and transparent.

The mission of the Department of Revenue’s Child Support Services Division is to enhance the well‑being of children by partnering with parents and caregivers to meet the financial needs of the family. Effective child support services are an essential part of the larger effort by the Commonwealth and the federal government to promote families' economic self‑sufficiency.

DOR/CSE’s core functions are to establish parentage, and establish, enforce and modify child support and health insurance orders. Much of our success depends on collaborations with a wide variety of state agencies and private entities.

The Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s Child Support Services Division seeks an attorney for a Counsel I position for the Litigation team in its Northern Region office located in Woburn.

DOR/CSS utilizes a hybrid work model where employees work both in‑office and remotely, depending on operational needs. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate work environment for telework, including but not limited to, connectivity, and resource access to conduct their job duties while remote. Candidates must be able to supervise and be supervised remotely and must be able to work effectively in an isolated setting.

Candidates must be organized, highly disciplined, conscientious, motivated, and committed to utilizing identified tools for successfully performing in a remote setting. Candidates must be available to travel to their officially designated work location with as little notice as the same workday should an exigent circumstance arise.

• Assess, draft, and file/efile legal pleadings in various divisions of the Probate and Family Court Department.
• Manage a high‑volume litigation caseload to support the financial needs of the family and to ensure compliance with statutory and procedural requirements, state and federal timelines for health insurance, and agency policies and procedures.
• Prepare for virtual case conferencing sessions and/or virtual court hearings: including conferring with regional staff to obtain necessary case information and documents; perform necessary legal research and analysis; prepare case summaries; and organize case information.
• Appear at virtual case conferencing sessions and/or virtual court hearings to establish legal paternity; establish, modify and enforce orders for child support and health insurance; and address customer issues.
• Review case inventory on a regular and consistent basis to control inventory and minimize backlogs; and refer cases to appropriate regional staff when legal action is not pursuable.
• Report to supervisor concerning backlogs, including identifying problem cases, proposed solutions; and developing strategies to eliminate backlogs.
• Update CSS’s case management system (COMETS HD) and other case tracking systems with actions taken.
• Advocate DOR’s interests in a legally sound manner by correctly interpreting and applying state and federal laws, statutes and regulations regarding child support services, and agency policies.
• Determine the best means to inform customers concerning what actions the agency will or will not take on their cases, risks (including physical or emotional risks related to domestic violence/family safety), time frames, and what actions the customer needs to cooperate with the agency.
• Identify means to resolve disputes between customers and the agency.
• Serve as in…