Four attorneys earn key promotions

Four assistant district attorneys with the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office have been promoted to key positions, effective Feb. 6.

Assistant District Attorney Jillian Handy, who joined the office in September 2018 working primarily out of district courts in Greenfield and Northampton, has been promoted to handle cases in Superior Court working out of the Child Abuse Unit.

“During her tenure here, she has established herself as a talented litigator and a fierce defender of victims,” Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan said in a statement.

Assistant District Attorney Veronice Santana assumed the position of attorney-in-charge at Northampton District Court. Santana began her career with the office in Northampton District Court in December 2019, after which she spent three years as a prosecutor in the Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown.

“We look forward to having her return to lead our team in Northampton,” Sullivan said. “She has proven herself a talented and capable trial attorney, possessing the initiative and organizational skills necessary to succeed as attorney in charge of a busy district court. As AIC of Northampton, Veronice can continue to serve the community and pursue her interest in domestic violence cases.”

Greenfield Assistant District Attorney Aidan Lanciani has been assigned a new role as the district court prosecutor assigned to the Anti-Crime Task Force, working with Assistant District Attorney Joseph Webber in prosecuting serious narcotics cases. She will continue to work out of Greenfield District Court, which handles the highest number of narcotics prosecutions of all the district courts in the Northwestern District. She has been a prosecutor with the office since February 2021, although she had worked as an intern in the office while in law school during the academic year of 2019-2020.

“Aidan has demonstrated a detail-oriented approach that will serve her well as she tackles complex search and seizure issues in task force cases,” Sullivan said. “We are excited for her chance to grow as a prosecutor in this new role.”

Lastly, Assistant District Attorney Jillian Parent, who joined the office in September 2021, was promoted to attorney-in-charge at Orange District Court. She has a background as a police dispatcher, working for six years as a dispatcher for the Gardner and Athol police departments before pursuing law school.

“Her familiarity with the law enforcement community [that] serves the Orange District Court makes her uniquely qualified to succeed as the liaison between our office and those departments,” Sullivan said. “Jillian has demonstrated the maturity and dedication to justice required to be a successful AIC.”

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