About Fran Ford

Born in Worcester, the second of eight children of Danny and Ginny (O'Coin) Ford, Francis “Fran” Ford is a life-long resident of Central Massachusetts with deep community roots. Living in Worcester until completing the 5th grade at St. Peter's Grammar School, Fran's family then moved to Spencer where Fran was raised and graduated from David Prouty Regional High School.  Fran then returned to Worcester and went on to receive his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Holy Cross College.

Prior to seeking election to the Governor’s Council, Fran Ford was elected Clerk of Courts and Magistrate for Worcester County. In his capacity as Clerk of Courts, Ford was an active participant in matters of interest to the public with particular emphasis on issues concerning the Administration of Justice. Before his election as Clerk of Courts in 2002, He was in private practice in Worcester since 1979. From 1975-1979 he served as a Deputy Court Clerk in the Worcester Superior Court.

Fran Ford attended Suffolk Law School nights, while working full time during the day. He received his Juris Doctorate Degree from Suffolk Law in 1978 and was admitted to the Bar that same year. He has practiced law for nearly 30 years and tried cases on the civil and criminal side of the law, as well as in the Housing, Juvenile and Probate Courts.  Ford is a Special Assistant District Attorney for the Office of District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr.  He is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the United States Supreme Court.

He has been a significant contributor to numerous organizations throughout his career. Fran is the immediate past President of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Massachusetts Bar Association, and he was the President of the Worcester County Bar Association from 1996-1997. He also has been an active member of the American Bar Association, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys and the Massachusetts Bar Institute. He has served as a member of the House of Delegates, the governing body of the Massachusetts Bar Association and as the Dukes County Bar Association's designee to the Joint Bar Committee on Judicial Appointments. Ford currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts (LACCM), the Massachusetts Bar Foundation and the Worcester Business Development Corporation (WBDC).

Ford remains committed to the community he serves and has held numerous public service positions. He served on the Board of Directors for many organizations including the Worcester Public Inebriate Program, the Worcester Opportunities Industrialization Centers and the Diocese of Worcester. He continually donates his time and services to the Town of Paxton through the Paxton Democratic Town Committee, St. Columba Parish, the town's Building Needs Study Committee and, since 1996, as the elected Town Moderator where he presides over the Annual Town Meeting and any Special Town Meetings which may be convened. Additionally, he served as a cabinet member of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, a member of the Holy Cross Club of Worcester and on the Board of Directors of the Worcester Club.

Fran Ford has received numerous awards and honors over the years. In 1994 he was the recipient of the Legal Assistance Corporation of Massachusetts Leadership Award for serving the legal needs of people living with HIV and AIDS in Worcester County. In 2005, he was the recipient of the prestigious Massachusetts Bar Association Community Service Award. Since 1999, Ford has been selected as a recipient of Martindale-Hubbell's Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.

Fran Ford has spoken at many public events including serving as a panelist and moderator of a large number of continuing legal education seminars for the Worcester County and Massachusetts Bar Associations, the Flaschner Judicial Institute and Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. Additionally, Ford has appeared as a guest on many television and radio shows covering topics ranging from the Massachusetts legal system to politics. He has also been the guest host of Worcester County's number one rated talk show, the Jordan Levy Show and he has been the guest host of the Sunday morning talk show, the Legal Express.

Fran Ford is married to Shirley A. Doyle, an Auburn native who is also a family law attorney practicing in Worcester. He is the father of three adult children, Jennifer Hearn of Holden, Jeremy Ford of Hubbardston and Allie Ford, a Communications Major at Fairfield University and grandfather of Camden and Tyler Hearn and Kailyn Ford.