Community Legal Aid Attorney Named President of Berkshire Bar Association

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Community Legal Aid staff attorney Dana Doyle was elected as the next president of the Berkshire County Bar Association at the association's annual meeting, held on May 15. Doyle’s two-year term will begin on Sept. 1.

Doyle, a Pittsfield resident, is a certified mediator, certified conciliator, collaborative law attorney, parenting coordinator, and guardian ad litem investigator, and has been a member of the Massachusetts Bar since 1998. Prior to joining the family law unit at Community Legal Aid in 2017, she spent 15 years in private practice as a solo practitioner and an associate at several law firms in Berkshire County.

Attorney Doyle began her law career at Community Legal Aid's predecessor organization, Western Massachusetts Legal Services, where she was employed from 1998-2002. She has been actively involved in the Berkshire County Bar Association since she first moved to Pittsfield in 1998. She has served on the executive committee of the bar association since 2009 and also serves on the Probate and Family Court Bench/Bar committee (chairperson from 2003-2011).

"I am hoping to build on the work of past presidents, while offering increased opportunities for the current membership," Doyle said. "Presently our membership consists of approximately 150 attorneys and judges. I value the camaraderie and the opportunity to meet and work with lawyers from all walks of the profession that our Bar Association provides, as, well as the feeling that we do makes a difference."

Doyle previously served as a member of the Pittsfield Licensing Board and served on the Board of Directors of the Elizabeth Freeman Center (president from ’06-’08) and the Massachusetts Justice Project.

 


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Pittsfield Considers Repairing East Part Cemetery

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Historical Commission will consider grant opportunities for repairs to East Part Cemetery.

A resident reached out to the city with concerns about degradation in the half-acre burial ground at the top of Williams Street. East Part Cemetery was established in the early 1800s and has about 300 interments. 

“It's a nice old cemetery, and basically, (the resident) had had concerns that the stone wall had taken some damage, the gravestones have taken some damage, and was wondering if there's anything that could be done to repair the gravestones and the wall," City Planner Kevin Rayner told the commission on Monday.

In cooperation with cemetery leadership and residents, the Historical Commission will consider applying for Community Preservation Act funds to support repairs. West Part Cemetery, on the other side of Pittsfield, has previously used CPA funds for revitalization work. 

The 1080 Williams St. property is owned by the city and managed by the Pittsfield Cemetery Commission. Rayner presented photos of broken and overgrown gravestones, parts of the stone wall collapsing, and knocked-over obelisks. 

Some aspects could use general maintenance and restoration, he observed. 

According to the Pittsfield Cemetery and Crematory's website, East Part Cemetery was established around 1808 on land owned by Nathan Webb, who permitted and authorized its use as a public burying ground.  

In 1842, Nathan Webb's son, also named Nathan Webb, deeded the property to the Methodist Episcopal Society of Pittsfield as a public burying ground, and in 1893 the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Society transferred their control of the cemetery to the Proprietors of the Pittsfield Cemetery. Their action was confirmed by the Berkshire Probate Court.

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