Barbara A. Dortch-Okara
Barbara A. Dortch-Okara was the first African American woman to be appointed Chief justice for the Massachusetts trial courts.
Early life and education
Dortch-Okara grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. Dortch-Okara graduated from Brandeis University with a bachelor's in politics in 1971 and Boston College Law School in 1974.Career
After law school, Dortch-Okara was general counsel of the Massachusetts Port Authority, attorney adviser for the Massachusetts office of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and assistant corporate counsel for the City of Boston. In 1984, she served in the Boston Municipal Court. In 1989, she was appointed by Governor Michael Dukakis to the Superior Court, extending her service for 20 years. She presided over the Salvi trial in 1996. In 1998, she was named to oversee the Trial Court. She lost her bid for a second term as the state's chief justice for administration and management in 2003, after conflicts with Chief Justice Margaret Marshall.In her retirement, Dortch-Okara taught at New England Law.