Hon. Paul A. Chernoff (ret.).
Photo credit: Brezniak Funeral Directors - Newton
The Massachusetts Bar Association mourns the loss of Hon. Paul A. Chernoff (ret.), a dedicated MBA member who died on Monday, July 15, at the age of 85.
Chernoff served for nearly 40 years on the Massachusetts judiciary, first joining the Newton District Court in 1976 and then spending three decades as a Superior Court judge. He presided over more than 1,000 jury trials during a decorated career that brought him to every county and most district courthouses in the state. Remembered for his graciousness to both court staff and court users, Chernoff worked throughout his time on the bench to support and empower jury members given his firm belief in the importance of their service.
In line with his welcoming demeanor in the courtroom, Chernoff took an active interest in the development of young lawyers, many of whom attended a program on ethics in legal practice that he co-created with the late Hon. Edward M. Ginsburg. Taught during the MBA’s Practicing with Professionalism Course, the program emphasized the role of civility and decorum in finding success as an attorney and often featured humorous interplay between the two judges. When speaking to course participants, Chernoff provided heartfelt examples of how he maintained his integrity in challenging situations and learned from constructive criticism during his career. On the strength of their work in spearheading the program, Chernoff and Ginsburg received the MBA Volunteer Recognition Award in 2017.
Chernoff’s commitment to legal education for MBA members continued well into his 80s, culminating in early 2023 with a program titled “Remaining Relevant in Retirement,” another collaboration between him and Ginsburg.
In addition to his instructional efforts with the MBA, Chernoff served for many years as an adjunct professor of trial practice at Boston College Law School and as a faculty member for Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education and the National Judicial College.
“Judge Chernoff will be remembered for his distinguished career of judicial service and his equally strong record as an educational leader and mentor for attorneys at all levels of practice,” said MBA Chief Legal Counsel and Chief Operating Officer Martin W. Healy. “Whether presiding over a high-profile trial or teaching a course for young lawyers, he was unfailingly kind and generous to all he encountered. We join Judge Chernoff’s friends and former colleagues in mourning his passing and extend our sympathies to his family at this difficult time.”
Following his retirement from the bench, Chernoff had worked at the Boston firm of Brody, Hardoon, Perkins & Kesten LLP and as an Access to Justice Fellow for Veterans Legal Services. A 1967 graduate of George Washington University Law School, Chernoff began his professional life as a staff attorney in the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia before moving to Massachusetts and becoming chairman of the Parole Board. Prior to attending law school, he spent nearly four years as a commissioned officer in the Coast and Geodetic Survey.
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