Reflecting on his administrative tenure with attorneys of the Massachusetts chapter of the Federal Bar Association on Tuesday, Chief U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV discussed intentional ways he's worked to overcome negative perceptions in the legal community.

Saylor, who took the role of chief judge just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020, was the keynote for the association's Breakfast with the Bench program at the John J. Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston. Speaking to a room of attorneys, as well as nearly 60 who joined remotely, Saylor spoke about the demands of learning new technology and establishing videoconferencing protocols, among other challenges that courts across the country faced during the pandemic. Beyond sorting through new courtroom protocols for socially distanced trials, Saylor spoke about his efforts to include and collaborate with others in decision-making and professional development.