Massachusetts Attorney General

The Massachusetts attorney general is an elected constitutionally executive officer of the Massachusetts government. The state attorney general is the chief lawyer and law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The current attorney general is Andrea Campbell.

List of Attorneys General of the Commonwealth
No.PortraitNamePrior experienceMunicipality of residenceTerm of servicePolitical partyParty affiliation:  (25)  (12)  (3)
 (3)  (1)  (1)175pxRobert Treat Paine1780–1790Independent275pxJames Sullivan1790–1807Democratic–Republican375pxBarnabas Bidwell1807–1810Democratic–Republican475pxPerez Morton1810–1832Democratic–Republican5James T. Austin1832–1843National Republican–Office abolished1843–1849675pxJohn H. Clifford1849–1853Whig775pxRufus Choate1853–1854Whig875pxJohn H. Clifford1854–1858Whig975pxStephen Henry Phillips1858–1861Republican1075pxDwight Foster1861–1864Republican1175pxChester I. Reed1864–1867Republican1275pxCharles Allen1867–1872Republican1375pxCharles R. Train1872–1879Republican14George Marston1879–1883Republican1575pxEdgar J. Sherman1883–1887Republican16Andrew J. Waterman1887–1891Republican1775pxAlbert E. Pillsbury1891–1894Republican1875pxHosea M. Knowlton1894–1902Republican1975pxHerbert Parker1902–1906Republican2075pxDana Malone1906–1911Republican2175pxJames M. Swift1911–1914Republican2275pxThomas J. Boynton1914–1915Democratic2375pxHenry Converse Atwill1915–1919Republican24Henry A. Wyman1919–1920Republican2575pxJ. Weston AllenHouse 1915 to 1918, Attorney-at-LawNewton1920–1923Republican2675pxJay R. BentonMass. House 1917, '18; Ass't Atty. Gen'l 1918-'22Belmont1923–1927Republican27Arthur K. ReadingMass House 1919 to 1922, Middlesex County District Attorney, 1923-'26, LawyerCambridge1927–1928Republican2875pxJoseph E. WarnerTaunton Municipal Council 1907-'11, Trust. Pub. Library, Mass. House 1913-'20, Speaker 1919-'20, Delegate to Rep. National Convention 1920, Asst. Atty. Gen. 1923-'28, Attorney-at-LawTaunton1928–1935Republican2975pxPaul A. DeverMiddlesex County Public Administrator, Mass. House 1929-'34, LawyerCambridge1935–1941Democratic3075pxRobert T. BushnellMiddlesex County District Attorney, LawyerWest Newton1941–1945Republican3175pxClarence A. BarnesMansfield Town Moderator and Counsel, Mass. House 1912-'13, Constitutional Convention, Governor's Council 1943-'44, LawyerMansfield1945–1949Republican3275pxFrancis E. KellyBoston City Council, Lieutenant Governor, Fall River Finance Commissioner, Attorney at lawDorchester, Boston1949–1953Democratic3375pxGeorge FingoldAsst. Attorney General, Asst. District Attorney, City Council, LawyerConcord1953–1958Republican3475pxEdward J. McCormack Jr.Boston City Council, LawyerDorchester, Boston1958–1963Democratic3575pxEdward W. BrookeBoston Finance Commission (chairman), Mass. Advisory Committee, U.S. Civil Rights Commission (chairman), LawyerNewton Centre1963–1967Republican36Edward T. Martin1967Republican3775pxElliot RichardsonLieutenant Governor, United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Brookline Town Meeting member, LawyerBrookline1967–1969Republican3875pxRobert H. QuinnSpeaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, LawyerDorchester, Boston1969–1975Democratic3975pxFrancis X. BellottiLieutenant Governor, AttorneyQuincy1975–1987Democratic4075pxJames ShannonRepresentative in Congress, LawyerLawrence1987–1991Democratic4175pxL. Scott HarshbargerMiddlesex County District Attorney; General Counsel, State Ethics Commission; Chief, Public Protection Bureau, Department of Attorney General; Deputy Chief Counsel, Massachusetts Defenders CommitteeWestwood1991–1999Democratic4275pxThomas ReillyMiddlesex County District AttorneyWatertown1999–2007Democratic4375pxMartha CoakleyMiddlesex County District AttorneyMedford2007–2015Democratic4475pxMaura HealeyMassachusetts Attorney General's Office as the Chief of the Civil Rights Division, Chief of the Public Protection and Advocacy Bureau, Chief of the Business and Labor Bureau, litigator and junior partner at the international law firm WilmerHale, Special Assistant District Attorney for Middlesex County, clerk for Judge David Mazzone in the United States District Court in Massachusetts, former professional basketball playerBoston2015–2023DemocraticActingKate R. CookFirst Assistant Attorney General of Massachusetts from January 2022 until January 5, 2023BostonJanuary 5, 2023IndependentActingBessie DewarState Solicitor of Massachusetts since January 2016BostonJanuary 5–18, 2023Democratic4575pxAndrea CampbellMember of the Boston City Council, President of the Boston City Council, 2021 Boston mayoral candidate, LawyerBoston2023–presentDemocratic

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