Brieger, Heidi E.

Judicial Biography

Year appointed/elected:

2012, by Gov. Deval L. Patrick

Bench Service:

Superior Court, 2012-present (2021-present as chief justice)

Background

Education:

Smith College, BA (1979)
CORO Foundation Fellow in Public Affairs, Los Angeles, CA (1980)
Claremont Graduate School, MA, Public Policy Analysis (1981)
Boston College Law School, JD (1986)
Editor in Chief, Environmental Affairs Law Review

Professional

Legal Employment History:

Clerk to Chief United States District Judge Andrew A. Caffrey (1986-87)
Associate and Junior Partner, Litigation Department, Hale and Dorr (1987 – 1992)
Assistant U.S. Attorney, 1992 – 2012; Chief Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, 2007-2012
Adjunct Professor, Boston University School of Law (2015 – present)
Member, Supreme Judicial Court Advisory Committee on Massachusetts Evidence Law (2016 – present)

General Character of Law Practice Prior to Judgeship:

A 1986 graduate of Boston College Law School, Brieger started her career as a civil litigator at Hale & Dorr before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office. There, she progressed from line prosecutor to chief of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit, where she prioritized trafficking of opiate narcotics.

Going after the criminal trafficking of opiate narcotics mattered to Brieger, according to a 2012 Boston Globe profile. The story quoted Assistant US Attorney Zachary R. Hafer, who was involved in the prosecution of a drug ring that allegedly conspired to sell oxycodone in 15 communities across Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

“She specifically recognized the devastation that these pills cause in communities,” said Hafer, one of 15 assistant US attorneys supervised by Brieger during her time as unit chief.

“Combating opiate narcotics was a top priority of hers,” he said.

For a full profile of Brieger visit

http://www.wickedlocal.com/hingham/topstories/x328566392/Hingham-woman-takes-seat-on-Superior-Court-Bench?zc_p=0