Press Release  New members for Commission on Judicial Conduct

Boston, MA — The Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct announced today four recently appointed new members. Herby Duverné was appointed as a lay member of the Commission, effective January 4, 2019. The Honorable Daniel Wrenn was appointed as a judge member of the Commission, effective December 1, 2018. Attorney Patricia Saint James was appointed as a lawyer member of the Commission, effective November 1, 2018.  The Honorable Katherine Field was appointed as a judge member of the Commission, effective August 14, 2018. Many thanks are extended to the outgoing members:  Quinton B. Dale, Judge Robert N. Tochka, Attorney John J. Carroll, Jr. and Chief Justice of the Probate and Family Court John Casey.

Herby Duverné is the Principal and CEO of Windwalker Group LLC, an award-winning, 8(a) small business. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Mr. Duverné held the position as director of emergency management and deputy director of aviation security at the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), which oversees Logan International Airport. Before Massport, Mr. Duverné served as the Regional Security Manager at State Street Corporation for five years. Mr. Duverné devotes many personal hours giving back to the greater Boston community. He formerly served on Somerville's Anti-Gang Board as well as its Human Rights Commission. He was also the president of the Board of Directors of the Haitian Coalition of Somerville from 2001 to 2003. Mr. Duverné is currently a Governor’s appointee to the Massachusetts Children's Trust Board of Directors and serves as President of the Board of the Boston Foundation’s Haiti Development Institute. Mr. Duverné earned both Bachelor's and Master's degrees at Northeastern University in criminal justice administration.

Judge Daniel Wrenn was appointed an Associate Justice of the Superior Court in 2011. Prior to his appointment as a judge, from 1991 to 2011, Judge Wrenn was a partner at the Worcester law firm of Milton, Laurence and Dixon, LLP, where he practiced in the areas of Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, and Workers Compensation. Judge Wrenn is a graduate of Suffolk University School of Law and has been a featured speaker for MCLE and Worcester County Bar Association seminars. Judge Wrenn has also been active in county and state bar associations, including serving as a Member of the Executive Committee (2001-2005), the Bench and Bar Committee (2005-2011), and the Community Relations Committee (2004-2011) of the Worcester County Bar Association. Judge Wrenn also served as the Co-Chair of the Worcester County Bar Association’s Superior Court Committee (2008-2011) and as Co-Chair of its District Court Committee (1996-1998).

Attorney Patricia Saint James is a Member of the Boston law firm of Tarlow, Breed, Hart and Rogers, where she concentrates her practice in all aspects of Domestic Relations law. Attorney Saint James is President Ex-Officio of the Massachusetts Family and Probate American Inn of Court. She is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directory (its highest rating for legal ability and professional ethics), has been named a Massachusetts Super Lawyer each year since 2006 by Boston Magazine, was named one of the best lawyers in Massachusetts by the Boston Globe, and was named one of the top women lawyers in the northeast by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. Attorney Saint James is a past Chair of the Family Law Section of the Boston Bar Association. In that capacity, she worked with the Bar and Judiciary to initiate the Lawyer for the Day Program in the Commonwealth’s Probate and Family Courts. She served as a Board Member and Vice-President of the Arts and Business Council/Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, is a past Board Member of the Massachusetts Family and Probate American Inn of Court, and a past Member of the Boston Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Steering Committee. Attorney Saint James obtained her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she was an Arthur Littleton Legal Writing Instructor. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree from Central Connecticut State University and summa cum laude with a Master’s Degree from the University of Connecticut. 

Judge Katherine Field is the First Justice of the Bristol County Probate and Family Court, where she has presided since her appointment as a judge in 2010. Prior to her appointment as a judge, Judge Field was an Attorney and shareholder at Gay, Gay & Field, P.C., where she worked for twenty-five years in the areas of divorce, paternity, adoption, and guardianship. Judge Field also served as a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission from 2003 to 2005. Judge Field is a graduate of Boston College Law School and has served as a panelist for MCLE and the Massachusetts Bar Association. She has also been active in the local, county, and state bar associations, including serving as the President (2001-2002), Vice President (2000-2001), Treasurer (1999-2000) and Secretary (1989-1991) of the Bristol County Bar Association.

The Commission on Judicial Conduct is established and governed by Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 211C. In accord with the mandate of that statute, the Commission’s mission is to enforce standards of judicial conduct for Massachusetts state judges in a manner that, while respecting judicial independence, promotes public confidence in the judiciary and preserves the integrity of the judicial process. The Commission serves as the forum for complaints alleging misconduct by judges both on and off the bench, and for allegations of mental or physical disability affecting a judge’s performance. The Commission is made up of three judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court, three attorneys appointed by the Chief Justice of the Trial Court, and three lay people appointed by the Governor. Members serve non-renewable terms of six years. 

Please visit the Commission’s website for more information: www.mass.gov/cjc.

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