ATHOL — The attorney who has served as Athol’s legal counsel since 1993 plans to trade in his suit, tie and briefcase for a black robe and gavel.
Mark A. Goldstein has been nominated by Gov. Charlie Baker to be a Worcester District Court judge and he expects to be sworn in sometime in June.
“Most of my career has been advocating and representing cities and towns and representing clients and, now, I’ll be making decisions,” he said outside the selectmen’s meeting room immediately after sitting in on his final Board of Selectmen meeting earlier this month. “I’m proud of my career. I’ve been practicing law for 25 years and I’m very well-known between Athol and Leominster. I have lots of different accounts.”
Goldstein, 59, runs a law practice in Gardner, where he lives with his family. He is also the assistant city solicitor in Fitchburg and the general counsel to the Winchendon Housing Authority, the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission and the Gardner Redevelopment Authority. Those accounts will soon be closed, as Goldstein said a judge cannot operate a law practice. He said his employees will go on unemployment.
Goldstein said he will deal with civil, criminal and restraining order cases, among others. He said he is most looking forward to change and challenge.
He had a two-year stint as Athol’s town planner, starting in 1981. He went to Western New England College School of Law, graduating and passed the Massachusetts bar exam in 1991. Two years later, the Athol Selectboard were looking for a town counsel.
“Since I had been here before, I threw my résumé in and they took a chance on me,” he said.
Athol Town Manager Shaun A. Suhoski said Goldstein provided years of quality service to the town.
“The town will greatly miss Attorney Goldstein’s sound guidance from both a policy and legal perspective as it was steeped in 25 years of institutional knowledge including an early career stint as Athol’s town planner,” he said in a statement. “We all wish him the best of success on the bench.”
Lee Chauvette, Selectboard chairman, invited Goldstein to lead the room in the customary Pledge of Allegiance to start the April 18 meeting, referring to the soon-to-be judge as “the Honorable Mark Goldstein.”
Chauvette and other selectmen thanked Goldstein for his years of service and wished him good luck.
Goldstein said he and his wife hail from Worcester.
“I know the community and I feel like I’m prepared to do it,” he said.
Goldstein explained nomination to a judgeship starts by filing a blind application to the Massachusetts Judicial Nominating Commission and interviews. He said the Commission does its due diligence on an applicant’s background and more interviews follow. Then, Goldstein said, an applicant can be nominated. He said his Governor’s Council confirmation hearing is slated for May 10 and the Council typically votes a week later.
Goldstein said there will then be a 25- to 30-day lag period so he can be placed on a training schedule that lasts four to five weeks.
You can reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 258. On Twitter: @DomenicPoli