UNIONDALE, NY / ACCESS Newswire / September 11, 2025 / Marquis Who's Who honors Mara Dolan, JD, for her expertise in legal representation. Ms. Dolan is the Governor's Councilor and an attorney at law at the Law Offices of Mara Dolan.
About Ms. Mara Dolan
Having been elected as the first public defender to the Governor's Council in the state of Massachusetts and currently representing District 3, Ms. Dolan has had a groundbreaking career. For more than 20 years, she has worked in the Massachusetts District, Juvenile and Superior Courts, defending those facing charges for the first time and repeat offenders. She has served major cities as well as smaller communities in the state.
Ms. Dolan first ran for the Governor's Council District 3 in 2022. She lost the Democratic primary to the incumbent by a narrow margin of 1,658 votes. In 2024, she ran again and successfully unseated the 25-year incumbent in the Democratic primary, winning 52% of the vote. She then ran unopposed in the general election and was elected to the Governor's Council.
A public defender's victory was a huge win. The seven justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court have either worked as corporate lawyers or prosecutors before their appointments. Ms. Dolan asserts that a public defender brings a critical perspective to the court system because they have witnessed how the court works and how it often compounds social inequalities, therefore failing everyday people.
The Importance of Public Defenders
In Ms. Dolan's campaign, she emphasized the importance of a public defender holding a critical seat on the Governor's Council, which confirms judges and justices once they are nominated by the governor. The council also confirms parole board members and reviews pardons and commutations.
Ms. Dolan was able to effectively argue to voters that a public defender on the council is the voice for the people who are regularly excluded from the process.
"I work at the intersection of law, politics and media in a way that is unusual. The Governor's Council is part of the executive branch, but it oversees the judicial branch and I previously worked in the legislative branch. I have experience in all three branches of government, which makes me uniquely qualified to communicate how our government works," Ms. Dolan says.
Ms. Dolan earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Rhode Island and a Juris Doctor degree from the Massachusetts School of Law. She also completed coursework for a master's degree in social work at the Boston College School of Social Work.
Making a Difference Through Law
When discussing her career, Ms. Dolan emphasizes the importance of her education, particularly her law degree.
"Having a law degree makes so much possible. Understanding the law, especially now, is critically important. I hope that people are encouraged by my story to consider attending law school and realize what a law degree can do for them and the difference they can make. All of my communications and political experience put me in a position to run a successful campaign. But it all starts with a law degree," says Ms. Dolan.
About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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SOURCE: Marquis Who's Who
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