John R. Connolly is an At-Large Boston City Councilor representing the City of Boston, Massachusetts. He was elected in November 2007.  There are four At-Large (also known as Citywide) seats on the Boston City Council. John is the Chair of the Education Committee, the Environment and Health Committee and the Special Committee on a Livable Boston. He also serves on the City & Neighborhood Services, Economic Development & Planning, Government Operations, Post Audit & Oversight, Ways & Means, Whole, and Youth Affairs committees.

Family

John is a resident of West Roxbury where he lives with his wife, Meg, and children, Clare and Teddy. Meg is currently a doctoral student at Boston College studying to be a psychologist.  His father, Michael J. Connolly

Michael J. Connolly (American politician)

Michael Joseph Connolly is a former politician who served as Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1979–1994....

, is a former secretary of state.

Education

During his high school years John attended The Roxbury Latin School

Roxbury Latin School

The Roxbury Latin School is the oldest school in continuous operation in North America. The school was founded in Roxbury, Massachusetts by the Rev. John Eliot under a charter received from King Charles I of England. Since its founding in 1645, it has educated boys on a continuous basis.Located...

. After graduating he earned his B.A. cum laude from Harvard University

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

 and later earned his J.D. from Boston College Law School

Boston College Law School

Boston College Law School is one of the six professional graduate schools at Boston College. Located approximately 1.5 miles from the main Boston College campus in Chestnut Hill, Boston College Law School is situated on a wooded campus in Newton, Massachusetts.With approximately 800 students and...

.

Career

Beginning in 1995, John taught middle school for at-risk Latino youth at the Nativity Mission School in New York City. In 1998, John returned to Boston and taught at the Boston Renaissance Charter School.

After graduating from Boston College Law School, John began his legal career with the firm Ropes and Gray. He has since started his own law firm, Schofield Campbell & Connolly, with two other Boston residents. John has made pro-bono work a cornerstone of his legal practice. He has represented numerous community-based organizations including Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), The Teachers' Loft and the PrideLights Foundation.

Controversies

Connolly was cited in a September 3, 2009, report in the Boston Herald as one of several Boston City Council candidates with violations on their driving records. The Herald reported on three speeding violations, another unspecified moving violation, and two surchargeable accidents attributed to him. Connolly responded by saying, "I try to do my best on all those fronts, as a responsible driver, but I'm not perfect."

External links

• Google news archive. Articles about Connolly
• Google blog search. Blog posts about Connolly
• Official City of Boston Website for John Connolly
• John Connolly for Boston City Council Campaign Website