Assistant Bar Counsel, ACAP - Compliance and Intake

Min 5 yrs required

Full-time

No

This newly created position within the Office of Bar Counsel (OBC), Attorney and Consumer Assistance Program (ACAP) will require an individual that is self-directed, mission driven and collaborative to help build and run a new probationary arm of the office. As the Compliance and Intake Assistant Bar Counsel (ABC) you will oversee compliance with diversion agreements and disciplinary judgments and related measures designed to protect the public and elevate the ethical practice of law in Massachusetts. You will engage with Bar Counsel’s senior management team and assistant bar counsel on probationary issues and have the opportunity to be involved in the review and assessment of new ethical complaints brought against Massachusetts attorneys. The position will require frequent contact with complainants, respondent attorneys and their counsel, and other departments and outside agencies providing services needed for compliance. The remainder of this position’s time will be split between supporting ACAP, the complaint intake unit, and performing other tasks for the prosecution unit of the OBC as assigned by Bar Counsel and the ACAP director.



The Compliance and Intake ABC’s primary responsibilities include:



Ø Reviewing, monitoring and obtaining compliance with terms and conditions set forth in final disciplinary judgments.

Ø Managing diversion program for resolution of minor misconduct cases.

Ø Working with OBC staff and respondents to assess diversion candidates and to identify conditions or issues for resolution through remediation, rehabilitation, or further referral.

Ø Working with OBC staff to develop diversion agreements for program participation; implementing and supervising agreements for compliance; preparing and delivering reports of compliance as needed.

Ø Developing and coordinating resources for referral, remediation, and rehabilitation activities.

Ø Preparing and maintaining files on all pending compliance matters, regularly updating such files, and calendaring all pending compliance matters.

Ø Communicating both orally and in writing with respondent attorneys regarding failure to meet terms and working with stakeholders to determine appropriate next measures.

Ø Maintaining collaborative working and referral relationships with the Massachusetts Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, the Law Office Management Assistance Program, and CLE vendors.

Ø Providing assistance to ACAP in its evaluation of complaints of professional misconduct, its efforts to resolve low-level complaints, and its recommendations that matters be further investigated.

Ø Reviewing bank notices of dishonored IOLTA checks to determine the need for diversion or further investigation for possible prosecution.

Ø Evaluating attorney applications to escheat unclaimed and unidentified funds to the Massachusetts IOLTA Committee to determine the need for further investigation by bar counsel of the attorney’s compliance with record keeping requirements.

Ø Reviewing and assessing new ethical complaints brought against Massachusetts attorneys as assigned.

Ø Supporting the prosecution unit of the Office of Bar Counsel as assigned.

Salary and Benefits

The ABC ACAP Compliance and Intake’s salary and benefits are the subject of the collectively bargained agreement between The Board of Bar Overseers of the Supreme Judicial Court (Employer) and the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 6, AFL-CIO (Union), July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2024. The starting salary range, minimum step to step five, for attorneys across the BBO is $95,407 to $119,458 based on experience and training. New employees typically begin at or near the minimum step and proceed through a series of collectively bargained steps followed by salary adjustments.



The BBO Offices are presently located at 99 High Street, Boston, MA. Requests for alternative regular work schedules and remote work schedules will be considered.



Applications and Inquiries

At the BBO, we embrace diversity, and we are seeking to nurture our DEI efforts so diversity will thrive because it benefits our organization, the bar, and the public we serve. Our goal is to attract, develop, and retain exceptional people and to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information, or characteristics. In addition to federal law requirements, the BBO complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. The BBO actively encourages applications from candidates, including those from marginalized communities, who would both contribute to and learn from working in a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We invite you to include in your application materials an expression of your commitment to DEI and how you will contribute to the BBO’s ongoing efforts.

All inquiries, nominations/referrals, and applications, including a resume and letter of interest in PDF format, should be submitted in confidence via the following link:



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Qualification and Experience All candidates will be admitted to practice and in good standing in Massachusetts, possess a minimum of five years legal experience with a basic understanding of best practices in law office management, experience working with individuals in crisis due to multiple environmental stressors or challenged by substance use and mental health disorders, a demonstrated an ability to coach individuals to achieve compliance with probationary conditions, and a demonstrated understanding of the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct and the Massachusetts disciplinary process is preferred. Experience developing and delivering presentations and trainings is preferred. The position requires diplomacy and a high degree of professionalism and the ability to communicate effectively on the telephone, in person and in writing with the people and communities served, particularly underrepresented populations.

Legal