DA Kevin Hayden appoints Migdalia Iris Nalls as chief of juvenile unit

BOSTON, October 18, 2022 — Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden today announced the appointment of Migdalia Iris Nalls as chief of the office’s juvenile unit.

“Migdalia’s blend of defense and prosecution experience along with her deep knowledge of the juvenile court system and her commitment to diversion and youth support programs make her the ideal person to head this extremely important unit,” Hayden said. “Migdalia is perfectly equipped to strengthen our commitment to diversion programs and alternatives to prosecution balanced by equal commitment to public safety. Her career demonstrates an extraordinary compassion for and commitment to the young people of Suffolk County.”

Nalls has served as a trial attorney in the Committee for Public Counsel Services Youth Advocacy Division since 2016.  She represented juveniles in arraignments, magistrate hearings, bail appeals, warrant removals, probation hearings and bench and jury trials, as well as child-requiring-assistance civil cases.  From 2014 to 2016, Nalls was a staff attorney at South Coastal Counties Legal Services, where she implemented Project LISA (Legal Intervention to Survivors of Abuse) under a grant from the US Department of Justice. 

Prior to her defense work, Nalls served in the Suffolk District Attorney’s office, first as a prosecutor in the Roxbury Division of Boston Municipal Court from 2007 to 2011 and then as a member of the juvenile unit from 2011 to 2014. She handled about 30 trials as a prosecutor.

Nalls served as president of the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys in 2017 and was a board member of Project RIGHT from 2012 to 2016, among many other community and nonprofit memberships and activities. 

Nalls grew up in the Dorchester neighborhood of Grove Hall and attended English High School. She is a graduate of Boston College and Boston College Law School.  In 2011 Nalls was awarded the Suffolk DA’s Brian J. Honan Award of Courtroom Excellence and Community Commitment. 

“I am incredibly excited for this opportunity. I have advocated for progressive juvenile justice approaches from my time as a prosecutor to my time as a defense attorney. My passion in this field was heavily influenced by being born and raised in Grove Hall. As a young person I dreamed of making an impact on the quality of life in my neighborhoods. I now feel honored to support Kevin Hayden and his vision for the advancement of juvenile diversion, restorative justice and public safety. I look forward to working with DA Hayden’s team and engaging with the communities and neighborhoods of Suffolk County,” Nalls said.

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications