Lechford, Thomas, approximately 1590-1644?

Thomas Lechford (1590?-1644?), the first lawyer in the colony of Massachusetts Bay, arrived in Boston, Mass., on 27 June 1638. In England, he had been a member of Clement's Inn. As an opponent of the episcopacy, he was punished for supporting the cause of William Prynne. He declined a position at the court of Prince Rakoczy of Transylvania and emigrated to New England.

In Massachusetts Bay, Lechford became a controversial figure. The leaders of the colony considered his political and religious views to be heretical; thus, he was not received into church membership and could not vote or hold office in the colony. He was forced to earn a meager living as a copyist and by drafting petty legal documents. In a court case in 1639, Lechford attempted to influence the jury outside of court. For this, he was censured and prohibited from the courts of Massachusetts Bay.

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