Massachusetts Attorney General

Attorney general for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The Massachusetts attorney general is an elected constitutionally defined executive officer of the Massachusetts government. The officeholder is the chief lawyer and law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The officeholder also acts as an advocate and resource for the Commonwealth and its residents in many areas, including consumer protection, combating fraud and corruption, protecting civil rights, and maintaining economic competition. The current attorney general is Andrea Campbell.

When the 1780 state constitution was first enacted, the attorney general was appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the Governor's Council. The office was abolished in 1843 and re established in 1849. In 1855 the constitution was amended so that the attorney general (along with a number of other constitutionally enumerated offices) was elected by the people. The length of the term of office has matched that of the governor, and elections are held concurrently with those for other constitutional office. Elections were first held annually, became biennial (every two years) in 1920, and quadrennial (every four years) in 1966.

The Office of the Attorney General is organized into six bureaus: Executive; Energy and Environmental; Criminal; Government; Health Care and Fair Competition; and Public Protection and Advocacy. Each bureau is divided into divisions and teams. These bureaus and divisions have distinct missions but work closely together to ensure the Attorney General's Office provides the highest level of public protection.

Office reestablished upon the ratification of the Constitution of Massachusetts in 1780. No. PortraitNamePrior experienceMunicipality of residenceTerm of servicePolitical partyParty affiliation: (25) (12) (3)
(3) (1) (1)1Robert Treat Paine1780–1790Independent2James Sullivan1790–1807Democratic–Republican3Barnabas Bidwell1807–1810Democratic–Republican4Perez Morton1810–1832Democratic–Republican5James T. Austin1832–1843National Republican–Office abolished1843–18496John H. Clifford1849–1853Whig7Rufus Choate1853–1854Whig8John H. Clifford1854–1858Whig9Stephen Henry Phillips1858–1861Republican10Dwight Foster1861–1864Republican11Chester I. Reed1864–1867Republican12Charles Allen1867–1872Republican13Charles R. Train1872–1879Republican14George Marston1879–1883Republican15Edgar J. Sherman1883–1887Republican16Andrew J. Waterman1887–1891Republican17Albert E. Pillsbury1891–1894Republican18Hosea M. Knowlton1894–1902Republican19Herbert Parker1902–1906Republican20Dana Malone1906–1911Republican21James M. Swift1911–1914Republican22Thomas J. Boynton1914–1915Democratic23Henry Converse Atwill1915–1919Republican24Henry A. Wyman1919–1920Republican25J. Weston AllenHouse 1915 to 1918, Attorney at LawNewton1920–1923Republican26Jay R. BentonMass. House 1917, '18; Ass't Atty. Gen'l 1918 '22Belmont1923–1927Republican27Arthur K. ReadingMass House 1919 to 1922, Middlesex County District Attorney, 1923 '26, LawyerCambridge1927–1928Republican28Joseph E. WarnerTaunton Municipal Council 1907 '11, Trust. Pub. Library, Mass. House 1913 '20, Speaker 1919 '20, Delegate to Rep. National Convention 1920, Asst. Atty. Gen. 1923 '28, Attorney at LawTaunton1928–1935Republican29Paul A. DeverMiddlesex County Public Administrator, Mass. House 1929 '34, LawyerCambridge1935–1941Democratic30Robert T. BushnellMiddlesex County District Attorney, LawyerWest Newton1941–1945Republican31Clarence A. BarnesMansfield Town Moderator and Counsel, Mass. House 1912 '13, Constitutional Convention, Governor's Council 1943 '44, LawyerMansfield1945–1949Republican32Francis E. KellyBoston City Council, Lieutenant Governor, Fall River Finance Commissioner, Attorney at lawDorchester, Boston1949–1953Democratic33George FingoldAsst. Attorney General, Asst. District Attorney, City Council, LawyerConcord1953–1958Republican34Edward J. McCormack Jr. Boston City Council, LawyerDorchester, Boston1958–1963Democratic35Edward W. BrookeBoston Finance Commission (chairman), Mass. Advisory Committee, U. S. Civil Rights Commission (chairman), LawyerNewton Centre1963–1967Republican36Edward T. Martin1967Republican37Elliot RichardsonLieutenant Governor, United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Brookline Town Meeting member, LawyerBrookline1967–1969Republican38Robert H. QuinnSpeaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, LawyerDorchester, Boston1969–1975Democratic39Francis X. BellottiLieutenant Governor, AttorneyQuincy1975–1987Democratic40James ShannonRepresentative in Congress, LawyerLawrence1987–1991Democratic41L. Scott HarshbargerMiddlesex County District Attorney; General Counsel, State Ethics Commission; Chief, Public Protection Bureau, Department of Attorney General; Deputy Chief Counsel, Massachusetts Defenders CommitteeWestwood1991–1999Democratic42Thomas ReillyMiddlesex County District AttorneyWatertown1999–2007Democratic43Martha CoakleyMiddlesex County District AttorneyMedford2007–2015Democratic44Maura HealeyMassachusetts Attorney General's Office as the Chief of the Civil Rights Division, Chief of the Public Protection and Advocacy Bureau, Chief of the Business and Labor Bureau, litigator and junior partner at the international law firm WilmerHale, Special Assistant District Attorney for Middlesex County, clerk for Judge David Mazzone in the United States District Court in Massachusetts, former professional basketball playerBoston2015–2023DemocraticActingKate R. CookFirst Assistant Attorney General of Massachusetts from January 2022 until January 5, 2023BostonJanuary 5, 2023IndependentActingBessie DewarState Solicitor of Massachusetts since January 2016BostonJanuary 5–18, 2023Democratic45Andrea CampbellMember of the Boston City Council, President of the Boston City Council, 2021 Boston mayoral candidate, LawyerBoston2023–presentDemocratic