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Issue July/August 2009

Hon. Lynda M. Connolly reappointed District Court chief justice

District Court Chief Justice Lynda M. Connolly has been reappointed to a five-year term, Chief Justice for Administration and Management Robert A. Mulligan announced recently. Connolly was named chief justice in 2004 and has served the District Court since 1997.

"As chief justice, she has demonstrated significant energy and vision in the implementation of many management reforms, using performance-based measures to improve the effectiveness and responsiveness of the court," Mulligan said.

In addition to leading the largest Trial Court department, which comprises 62 Divisions, 158 judges and more than 1,000 staff, Connolly also co-chairs the Trial Court Fiscal Task Force. Mulligan noted that she has received strong support from judges and attorneys in the District Court and received numerous honors, including the Daniel J. Toomey Judicial Excellence Award, which was recently presented by the Massachusetts Bar Association and Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

With more than 800,000 cases filed in the District Court department each year, Connolly credited the collaborative effort by judges, clerks, probation officers, support staff, security and maintenance personnel "in putting a face on justice for the people seeking justice in the District Courts each year."

MLAC names Newman new board member

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court appointed William C. Newman of Northampton to a five-year term on the board of directors of the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, the largest funding source for civil legal aid in the state.
Newman has been a partner at Lesser, Newman & Nasser since 1976.

He previously served the board of directors for two legal aid programs: the Center for Public Representation, for 17 years, and Western Massachusetts Legal Services, for 27 years, including six years as president.