Son of Cuban Immigrants, Baker Appoints Andover Attorney Sal Tabit Superior Court Judge

tabitMassachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has nominated  Andover attorney Salim Tabit to serve as Associate Justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court.

Attorney Tabit is a Founding Partner at Broadhurst Tabit LLP, a general practice law firm in Methuen specializing in civil litigation, real estate conveyance work, small business representation, immigration and criminal defense work.

“I am extremely honored that the governor and lieutenant governor have put their faith in me,” Tabit told The Valley Patriot in an exclusive interview just minutes before the Governor made the announcement.  

Asked why he thought the governor chose him, Tabit said that he has always prided himself on being fair and objective. “I really don’t know, I think that I have a broad range of experience in both criminal and civil matters and I’m sure that helped. I have done extensive trial work. Most of my practice has been in the Merrimack Valley are which I think is why my experience has been so broad. I have taken on different kinds of cases because that’s what the populations has requested of me. 

 Tabit began his legal career in 1995 as an Assistant District Attorney in Essex County and was later assigned to the Lawrence District Court where he would serve as Head of the Juvenile Justice Unit.

In 1998, he opened his own firm, handling criminal and civil litigations focusing primarily on matters of immigration and family reunification. In 1999, he became an associate at Broadhurst, Lakin & Lakin, where he handled a wide variety of legal matters and often provides pro bono work in poor and underrepresented communities. He graduated from Carleton College with a B.A. in Political Science in 1991 and from Boston College Law School in 1994

Tabit ran unsuccessfully for State Representative as a Republican in 1998 against then incumbent Barry Finegold and then again in 2010 against Republican Paul Adams. Tabit lost the primary against Adams. He is currently on the Executive Committee of the Lawrence Bar Association and also sits on the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army. 

Most notably, Tabit represented former Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua in his recount against current Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera, and also represented Lantigua in the two recall efforts against him. Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera was so impressed with Tabit’s work that he also hired Tabit to represent him in the three recall efforts against him once he took office. 

Tabit is married to Jean Chambers Tabit of the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center and has two daughters, Catalina (17) and Isbel (13.) 

Tabit still has to get approval  the Governor’s Council, an elected board that must approve all judicial nominees. Sources in the governor’s office say that they expect the process to begin in the next few weeks. 

“I have the utmost confidence that Bill Barrett (who was also nominated) and Salim Tabit have the temperament and dedication to serve the people of the Commonwealth on the Superior Court,” said Governor Charlie Baker.

epsteinfinalonlineLawrence City Councilor David Abdoo said that he is happy to see the nomination of Tabit as the “son of Cuban immigrants”. 

“Sal is a brilliant choice by Governor Baker who has his finger on the pulse of this Commonwealth,” Abdoo continued.

” I am thrilled for both: our city which has benefited from Sal’s work over the last two decades; and for the future of the Commonwealth’s Superior Court. I encourage the Governor’s Council to act swiftly to confirm this good man, husband, father, son and citizen.”

The Superior Court is comprised of 82 justices in 20 courthouses across all 14 counties and is a statewide court of general jurisdictions that handles a broad variety of civil litigation in matters of contract, injury, civil rights, and others with amounts in controversy exceeding $25,000. In addition, the Court oversees criminal matters including homicide, sex offenses, robbery, and financial fraud. Approximately 65% of the cases are civil lawsuits and the remaining 35% are criminal proceedings.

For more information about the Massachusetts Superior Court, visit http://www.mass.gov/courts/court-info/trial-court/sc/

Judicial nominations are subject to the advice and consent of the Governor’s Council. Applicants for judicial openings are reviewed by the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) and recommended to the governor. Governor Baker established the JNC in February, 2015 pursuant to Executive Order 558, a non-partisan, non-political Commission composed of volunteers from a cross-section of the Commonwealth’s diverse population to screen judicial applications. Twenty-one members were later appointed to the JNC in April, 2015.