The Massachusetts Bar Foundation congratulates Trustee Marguerite T. Grant on her appointment to the Massachusetts Appeals Court. Grant, who has been an MBF Fellow since 2011 and on the Board of Trustees since 2017, was nominated in September by Gov. Charlie Baker to fill the seat vacated by Hon. Sydney Hanlon, who retired in June.
Grant has worked for 10 years for the Norfolk District Attorney's office, serving as general counsel since 2014. She advised the district attorney on legal and personnel matters and conducted training programs for prosecutors, victim-witness advocates and police. She also represented the commonwealth on appeals, particularly in homicide and sexual assault cases. Prior to her work in the Norfolk District Attorney's office, Grant spent nearly 20 years as an assistant district attorney in Middlesex County and was an associate at Hill & Barlow PC.
"Governor Baker made an excellent choice in appointing Marguerite to the Appeals Court bench," said MBF President Richard J. Grahn. "This is a well-deserved honor and I have no doubt that, as a judge, she will continue her commitment to increasing access to justice for all. On behalf of the MBF Board and staff, I offer my warmest congratulations to Judge Grant."
"My involvement with the MBF has been very fulfilling for me, because it has been a way for me to approach from another direction some of the social problems that I handled in the District Attorney's office. I first served on the Domestic Violence/Family Law Grant Committee because I was interested in DV issues – but soon realized how many other issues overlapped with domestic violence," Grant said. "It has been really encouraging to get to know other lawyers volunteering for the MBF who come from very different law practices and are so dedicated to civil legal aid."
In addition to her MBF service, Grant is on the Board of Editors of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and has been a member of the Supreme Judicial Court's Standing Advisory Committee on Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure since 2019. She previously served on the Board of Bar Overseers from 2005-2008 and in the position of chair from 2007-2008. She was also a BBO hearing committee member from 1997-2003.
Grant is a graduate of Stanford Law School, where she was managing editor of the Stanford Law Review, and earned her bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College.
Grant's Oct 14 confirmation followed a hearing before the Governor’s Council on Oct. 7.