March 17, 2021

Dana Doyle nominated for Franklin County probate court judgeship

BY Chris LisinskiMassLive

BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker has tapped Dana Doyle, a Western Massachusetts attorney with more than two decades of experience helping survivors of domestic violence navigate the legal system, to serve as associate justice on the Probate and Family Court.

Praising her wide-ranging background in legal aid and in her own private practice, Baker on Wednesday selected Doyle to fill Judge Elizabeth Crawford’s seat on the Franklin Probate and Family Court.

Doyle since 2017 has worked as a staff attorney at Community Legal Aid in Pittsfield, where she represents low-income domestic violence survivors in family law matters.

A graduate of the State University of New York at Potsdam and Western New England College School of Law, Doyle began her career in 1998 as an Americorps attorney and then staff attorney at Western Massachusetts Legal Services. She joined Gobel & Hollister in Pittsfield in 2002, then Cianflone & Cianflone in 2005, representing clients in civil matters at both firms. From 2012-17, she ran her own private practice as a family law attorney, mediator, conciliator, guardian ad litem and parenting coordinator.

She serves today as president of the Berkshire County Bar Association. Doyle also previously led the Elizabeth Freeman Center, which offers services to sexual assault and domestic violence survivors in Berkshire County, and chaired the Berkshire County Probate Court Bench-Bar Committee.

The eight-member elected Governor’s Council will review Doyle’s nomination and decide whether to confirm her to fill Crawford’s seat.