Eamonn G. Gill has been named senior legal counsel for the R.I. Department of Corrections, where he will concentrate on labor and discipline matters. He had been a trial attorney for the R.I. Public Defender’s Office since 2003. A member of the Rhode Island, Massachusetts and ederal bar associations, Gill is a graduate of Boston College and Boston College Law School.
PBN: What did your role as trial attorney for the Public Defender’s Office entail?
GILL: In short, my job was to represent indigent people charged with felony offenses during the course of their criminal case. Although being a skilled trial advocate is essential to the job, a significant portion of a trial attorney’s work is in the pretrial stage of the criminal case. A trial attorney is often busy filing motions, requesting investigations and negotiating plea agreements.
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PBN: What challenges did you face in that position?
GILL: I think that one of the most common challenges faced by a public defender is overcoming the misconception held by many of the clients that the office is not going to provide them with quality legal representation. In truth, Public Defender clients receive a top-notch defense, in large part due to the experience and dedication of the office’s attorneys and support staff. Additionally, a Public Defender trial attorney has a full time team of investigators and social workers at his or her disposal.
PBN: What kinds of matters will you concentrate on in your new position?
GILL: I anticipate concentrating mainly on contract disputes and personnel grievances, with a focus on arbitrating those matters. However, I will be practicing in a number of forums, including the Labor Board, Personnel Appeals Board and Human Rights Commission. I’m excited to be branching out into this area of the law and look forward to the challenges and opportunities it will present.
