Prior to having the honor of being appointed as an Associate Justice by Governor Charlie Baker in 2020, Robert W. Harnais was a partner in the Law Offices of Mahoney & Harnais.
He graduated from the New England School of Law in 1989 and had been practicing law for 31years prior to joining the Bench. As an attorney in general practice, Judge Harnais handled a variety of criminal, civil litigation and community development matters. He also served as General Counsel for the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office, a position he has held for the over seventeen years.
Judge Harnais is a past President of the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys, serving two terms, and is currently an Advisory Board member. Judge Harnais was also appointed Region One President of the National Hispanic Bar Association and sat on the HNBA Judiciary Committee. In 2011, he was the recipient of the Norfolk County Bar Association Pro-Bono award and was awarded the Alfred E. Mullaney award by the Quincy Bar Association.
In 2015 Judge Harnais was the President of the Massachusetts Bar Association, being the first Hispanic in the over 100-year history of the Massachusetts Bar Association to be elected to this prestigious position. As a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association he has held the seat of Delegate, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-president, and President, as well as chaired the MBA Diversity Task Force and co-chairing the DEIC Committee.
In 2017 he was appointed vice-chair of the Governor’s Latino Advisory Commission.
From 2017- 2020 Judge Harnais served as Chairman of Massasoit Community College. Judge Harnais has volunteered as a mentor for several inner-city students as well as sat on the criminal law advisory board at RCC and Quincy College.
Judge Harnais is the father of three children and is also active in community activities where he sits on the Quincy College Board of Governors.