Photo: Elijah-Lovkoff / iStock / Getty Images
BOSTON (State House News Service) - Gov. Maura Healey opened the tap on her nine-month-old administration's judicial nominating process Wednesday, tapping attorneys from opposite ends of the state to fill two vacant seats on the Superior Court bench.
Springfield-based lawyer Tracy Duncan has operated her own practice for more than three decades, according to the governor's office, specializing in areas like criminal defense, juvenile delinquency, and landlord-tenant matters.
If confirmed, the Western New England University School of Law graduate would become "the second person of color to serve on the Superior Court in Western Massachusetts in state history," Healey's office wrote.
Adam Sisitsky, a New England School of Law alumnus, is co-chair of the Securities Litigation Practice at Mintz where he began his career in 1997, according to the governor's office.
The Boston-based law firm describes him as "a highly experienced trial attorney with a broad range of complex commercial litigation capabilities." Healey's office touted his experience with "highly regulated industries" like life sciences, health care, and financial services.
The pair of nominees will go before the Governor's Council, which holds final approval power over court appointments. The elected panel meets next on Oct. 11 when members could schedule public interviews with both candidates.
"Tracy and Adam stand out not only for their distinguished legal careers, but also their involvement in their communities," Lt. Gov. Kimberley Driscoll, who presides over council meetings, wrote in a statement. "We are confident that they would both be effective Superior Court judges, and we are proud to submit their names for consideration by the Governor's Council."
Duncan and Sisitsky are Healey's first judicial nominees. Over the first nine months of her term, the governor nominated an interim register of probate for Suffolk County and filled one out of three vacancies on the Parole Board.
There are currently seven openings on the Superior Court, and at least 14 judicial vacancies in total across the state's court system.
Written By Sam Doran/SHNS
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