The Criminal Trial Support Unit (CTSU) of the Private Counsel Division certifies qualified private counsel to represent indigent criminal defendants in criminal proceedings in the district and the superior courts.  The unit provides leadership, training, support, attorney mentoring, and oversight to private counsel across the state to ensure client-centered and zealous representation in all stages of the criminal process.  The private attorneys have access to interpreters, experts, and social work/services vendors in a wide range of fields to help the client achieve both legal and life success.

Unit Personnel & Office information

Director

Rose E. King (rking@publiccounsel.net), 617-910-5789

Staff Counsel

Beverly Chorbajian (bchorbajian@publiccounsel.net), 617-910-5775
Matthew Gilbertson (mgilbertson@publiccounsel.net), 617-910-5792
Nathan Goldstein (ngoldstein@publiccounsel.net), 617-910-5848
Adam Narris (atnarris@publiccounsel.net), 413-355-5296
Brianna Rowley (browley@publiccounsel.net), 617-910-5851

Contract Coordinator

Keisha Taylor, (ktaylor@publiccounsel.net), 617-910-5790

Certification Coordinator

Elizabeth Aborn-Farfan (eaborn-farfan@publiccounsel.net), 617-910-5788

Administrative Assistant

Deborah Giardina (dgiardina@publiccounsel.net), 617-910-5791

Filing a Complaint

      • By Phone: The unit has 5 staff attorneys who are assigned on different days of the week to handle incoming complaints.  Please call Deborah Giardina at (617) 910-5791 and ask to speak to the staff attorney of the day assigned to take complaints. Incarcerated individuals should call (617) 482-6212, and ask to be transferred to Deborah Giardina at the Criminal Trial Support Unit (617) 910-5791.  She will connect the caller with the staff attorney of the day assigned to take complaints.
      • By Electronic or Regular Mail:  To access the complaint form, please click here: Complaint Form.  Please submit electronically to CTSUAttorney@publiccounsel.net, you may also mail the form or submit a written complaint to the attention of: Deborah Giardina, Criminal Trial Support Unit, Committee for Public Counsel Services, 75 Federal Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02110.  An administrative staff member will contact you to discuss the complaint.

MURDER HOTLINE
617-592-3660 

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) maintains a list of certified murder-case attorneys who are assigned by CPCS to represent indigent persons, both adults and juveniles, charged with first and second degree murder, accessory before the fact to murder, and fugitive from justice on a murder charge.  The “Murder Assignment Hotline,” is answered seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.

Bar Advocate Programs

CPCS contracts with 12 County Bar Advocate Programs and works collaboratively with them to provide qualified counsel to indigent criminal defendants.  The Bar Advocate Program partners assist in the recruitment, certification, and oversight of criminal panel attorneys in the district and superior courts. 

Certification Information

CPCS certifies attorneys who represent indigent criminal defendants in the district and superior courts and in murder cases – the certification requirements and applications for certification can be found below.

Attorney Resources