Press Release  Supreme Judicial Court Announces New Officers and Members of the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers

BOSTON, MA — The Supreme Judicial Court today announced the recent appointment of a new Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of Bar Overseers, the reappointment of two public members to new terms, and the appointment of three new attorney members and one new public member to the board.

The Board of Bar Overseers was established by the Supreme Judicial Court in 1974 as an independent administrative body to adjudicate complaints against the Commonwealth’s attorneys and to take disciplinary action, or recommend such action to the Supreme Judicial Court, as appropriate. The BBO also administers attorney registration, including registration fees and Access to Justice fees. The twelve-member board is comprised of volunteers appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court to four-year terms. Eight members are lawyers; the other four are public members.

John J. Morrissey was named chairman effective October 2018. He has been a BBO member for three years having previously served as vice-chairman. Mr. Morrissey is a trial attorney and a Founding Partner of Morrissey, Wilson & Zafiropoulos LLP in Braintree. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Boston University School of Law.

Jeffrey R. Martin was named vice-chairman. He has been a BBO member for the past year. Mr. Martin is a litigation Partner in the Boston-based firm Burns & Levinson LLP, where he serves as the firm’s General Counsel and is Co-Chair of the Business Litigation Practice Group. He is a graduate of Colgate University, and Boston College Law School.

The new members are attorneys Marcia V. Kazarosian, Marianne C. LeBlanc, and Elizabeth Rodriguez-Ross and public member, Elisabeth O. da Silva. They were appointed for a term of four years, ending July 1, 2022. They fill the positions formerly held by attorneys Vincent J. Pisegna, who served as chair, Erin Higgins, and Tejal Mehta, and public member Andrew Ferrara.

Marsha V. Kazarosian is a Partner of the Haverhill-based firm, Kazarosian & Costello. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Suffolk University Law School.

Marianne C. LeBlanc is a Principal of the Boston-based firm, Sugarman & Sugarman, P.C. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and Boston College Law School.

Elizabeth Rodriguez-Ross is a Principal of the Springfield-based firm, Law Offices of Attorney Rodriguez-Ross. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Western New England University School of Law.

Elisabeth O. da Silva, CPA, CFF is a Partner in the Business Consulting practice of the Boston and Woburn based certified public accounting and business advising firm, DiCicco, Gulman & Company LLP. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The activities of the board are governed by Supreme Judicial Court Rule 4:01 and the Rules of the Board of Bar Overseers. Although it is an official body subject to the supervision of the Supreme Judicial Court, no public funds are spent to support it. The board's revenues come solely from the annual registration fees paid by lawyers.

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