The Hon. James E. Byrne is an associate justice for the Chelsea District Court in Massachusetts. He was appointed to the bench by Governor Charlie Baker on December 14, 2016.
Byrne earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard College in 1976. He then completed a J.D. at Suffolk University Law School in 1980.
After graduating from law school, Byrne began his legal career as the Director of Legal Services for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. He then entered into private practice. He was a founding partner of Byrne & Anderson. He specialized in civil litigation, handling personal injury, licensing, zoning and real estate matters.
His memberships have included the American Association for Justice and the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys. He sat on the Board of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, and he spent time as a lobbyist for Finneral Global Strategies.
Byrne was a resident of Dorchester at the time of his appointment. He has served as a Boston City Councilor (1984 to 1994), holding assignments as chairman of the Ways & Means Committee, the Housing Committee, and the Planning & Development Committee.