Joseph Berman Email & Phone Number

Joe Berman focuses his work on legal ethics. Since 2017, Joe has been the General Counsel at the Board of Bar Overseers of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. As GC, Joe oversees the enforcement of the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct and advises the 12-member Board of Bar Overseers. In addition to his role as legal counsel to the board, he serves as general counsel to the 80-person office of the BBO and is responsible for myriad issues, including labor and employment, as well as data privacy and security. In June 2023, the Board appointed Joe as the Acting Executive Director, in addition to his responsibilities as General Counsel.Joe is a Past President of the National Council of Lawyer Disciplinary Boards, a member of the Supreme Judicial Court's Advisory Committee on the Rules of Professional Conduct, and a member of the editorial board of the Massachusetts Law Review. He lectures and writes frequently on professional ethics.Prior to working at the Board of Bar Overseers, Joe was a trial lawyer for over 20 years. He served as lead counsel in over 30 trials and briefed and argued close to 100 appeals. He was named as one of the 100 Best Lawyers in New England for his trial and appellate advocacy. From 2015-2017, Joe worked full time as a mediator and arbitrator.Joe is active in several civic organizations with a focus on civil rights law. In September, 2020, he began a three-year term as Chair of the New England Region of the Anti-Defamation League. From 2018-2022, Joe also served as the chair of ADL's National Legal Affairs Committee. In the latter capacity, he has worked on many cutting-edge constitutional law cases in the areas of church-state separation, immigration law, anti-discrimination, and free speech.In 2021, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh appointed Joe as a Trustee of the Boston Public Library. He also serves on the board of the Associates of the Boston Public Library, whose mission is to conserve the library's special collections.In 2024, Joe was elected to the board of the Conservation Law Foundation in Boston.

Listed skills include Commercial Litigation, Civil Litigation, Mediation, Trials, and 30 others.