PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT
John Adams Courthouse
One Pemberton Square
Boston, Massachusetts 02108
CONTACT:
Jennifer Donahue/Erika Gully-Santiago
PublicInfo@sjc.state.ma.us
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2024
Supreme Judicial Court Justices Appoint Clerk for the Commonwealth
BOSTON, MA -- The Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court have appointed Maura A. Looney as the next Clerk for the Commonwealth. Ms. Looney was sworn in today by Chief Justice Kimberly S. Budd. This appointment fills a vacancy resulting from the departure of Clerk Francis V. Kenneally, who was sworn in as a District Court judge. Ms. Looney has served as Acting Clerk for the Commonwealth since April 1.
The Clerk for the Commonwealth is the head of the public office that manages all aspects of bringing cases before the highest appellate court in the Commonwealth. The office is responsible for handling the Court's appellate caseload, attending sessions of the full court, maintaining the docket, processing filings, and serving as the court's liaison to the parties or their counsel, among other duties.
"The Justices are pleased to announce the appointment of Maura Looney as Supreme Judicial Court Clerk for the Commonwealth," Chief Justice Budd said. "Ms. Looney brings a deep breadth of experience, knowledge of the Court, and technological skills to this role. The Justices are confident that Ms. Looney will continue the good work of her predecessor, Mr. Kenneally, who served the Court with great distinction. The Justices know that Ms. Looney will continue to work with dedication, skill and enthusiasm to support the Court and its users."
Ms. Looney has served as Assistant Clerk and Special Assistant Clerk of the Commonwealth for 11 years. Prior to her appointment to the Court, she was an Assistant Vice President at the Boston Stock Exchange and then an Associate Vice President at NASDAQ OMX, where she directed modifications to the Regulatory and Enforcement programs. Before that, she was an enforcement attorney in the Securities Division of the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, investigating matters involving potential violations of the Massachusetts Securities Act and regulations. She served as an Assistant District Attorney in Middlesex County from 1998 to 2000, and before that worked as a law clerk for Massachusetts Appeals Court Associate Justice Charlotte Anne Perretta. Ms. Looney is a graduate of Boston College and Suffolk University Law School.