Springfield-based attorney Tracy E. Duncan, a distinguished alumna of Western New England University School of Law, has been appointed to serve as an associate justice on the Massachusetts Superior Court, becoming the second Black woman in western Massachusetts' history to hold this esteemed position. Governor Maura T. Healey nominated her for this honor, and her appointment was confirmed unanimously on Wednesday, October 25.
With over three decades of dedicated service in the legal field, Duncan's appointment is a testament to her outstanding contributions, particularly in the areas of Criminal Defense, Juvenile Delinquency, and Landlord-Tenant law. She is a true pioneer, known for her unwavering commitment to justice and the law.
Duncan, a defense attorney who runs her own practice in Springfield, has spent the last thirty years representing clients in the Hampden Superior Court and U.S. District Court. Her work has included defending hundreds of clients, including teenagers, and her exceptional contributions were recognized with the Hampden County Lawyers for Justice Inc. 2023 Distinguished Bar Advocate award.
Dean Zelda Harris of Western New England University School of Law expressed her pride in Duncan's achievement, saying, "Tracy E. Duncan's appointment reflects the excellence and dedication we foster at Western New England University School of Law. We are thrilled to see our alumna making history and serving the community with her legal expertise."
Justice Duncan's appointment follows in the footsteps of the trailblazing former justice, Tina S. Page, who retired from the Hampden Superior Court in 2018. Justice Page was the first Black woman to be appointed to the Western Massachusetts Superior Court bench, and Tracy Duncan's appointment is a continuation of that legacy.
