While at Governor Dummer Tom was a three-year starter, captain, and all league member of the varsity football team. It was also there that Tom discovered the game of lacrosse, a sport for which he developed a lifelong passion that he passed down to his children. Both of his sons played youth lacrosse through college. Over the years Tom was high school lacrosse referee, as well as a youth, and high school coach. In 2009 he founded the Swampscott Nahant Youth Lacrosse program (SNYL). He served as Director and coach for twelve years.

While at Bates, Tom earned his B.A. in Political Science and was on the varsity football and lacrosse teams. Following graduation from Bates Driscoll joined the Essex County Sheriff’s Department as a Deputy Sheriff and Correctional Officer. His assignment was at the old Lawrence jail. He then moved over to the private sector as an account executive and sales manager of industrial materials throughout New England and New York.

Being the son of an attorney and raised in the Driscoll family where politics and respect for the law were guiding principles, Tom chose to follow his underlying passions and attend law school where he was a dean’s list student, President of the Student Bar Association, and recipient of the 1989 Dean’s Award for his contributions to the student body.

Immediately following law school, Driscoll had several eventful years that truly shaped his future. His father passed away in 1989 just months after his law school graduation. Tom then passed the bar exam, was elected to the Swampscott Select Board replacing his late father, met his wife, took a position as an Essex County Assistant District Attorney, married and together he and Tara started a family.

Tom’s extensive legal career began in the office of District Attorney Kevin M. Burke where he was assigned to the Lawrence District Court. During his time as an Assistant District Attorney, he prosecuted cases in every District Court in Essex County. He was also afforded the opportunity to argue several matters before the Single Justice session of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

In pursuit of expanding his legal experience, Tom left the DA’s office to join the Lynn law firm of Gordon, Moore Primason & Bradley. There he became a civil litigator representing entities such as the Lynn Housing Author and various property management companies. He also handled complex civil and criminal matters on behalf of the clients of the firm. Driscoll then joined the law firm of Goldman & Goldman in Swampscott where he not only continued to litigate, but also expanded his specialties to include real estate transactions, closings, and zoning law.

Having established himself as a community leader and attorney with a broad range of experience, Tom chose to open his own law firm of Driscoll & Associates. The firm represented a client base from the Swampscott, Lynn and Salem, as well as lending institutions and businesses throughout Essex County. Former Essex County Clerk of Courts, the late James Dennis Leary, Esq., was a longtime friend of the Driscoll family and at different times recommended to Tom that he consider running for the position when he chose to leave office. Immediately after Clerk Leary announced in 2000 that he would not seek re-election, Tom began a vigorous campaign that resulted in his victory. Tom was sworn in as Clerk of Courts on January 3, 2001. At the time he was the youngest elected clerk of courts in Massachusetts.

Tom came to the clerk’s office with a vision and understanding of how to best serve those who utilized the court. His legal experience had developed in him a sincere appreciation for court rules, procedures, and practices. Even more importantly, Driscoll, as a former consumer, knew just how essential a professional and efficient clerk’s office was in the judicial process and administration of justice.

The Clerk is responsible for managing a department of close to thirty-five employees spread over three unique court facilities. Tom relied on his private sector experiences running a law firm as an attorney, and a sales executive along with Beyond his legal procedural knowledge Clerk Driscoll utilized his business management experience running a law firm and as a sales executive to create a department committed to customer service.

Tom also brought to the clerk’s office a wealth of experience from his public employment and leadership positions to his position. During his tenure serving as a member of the Swampscott Select Board.

From day one Tom created opportunity for promotion and welcomed employee input and participation. He welcomed hearing from employees what they thought would improve the operation of the clerk’s office.

When serving as a Swampscott Select Board member the town did not have a manager and all union negotiations and personnel matters were directly handled by the board. The long nights of negotiating public employee contracts and resolving employee disputes and discipline proved invaluable to him as he took over as clerk.

One philosophy that he brought with him from his experience as a select board member was to engage the Union not always as adversaries, but as part of the process and partner in creating opportunities within their membership.

During Tom’s years as clerk he has overseen great transition and development in technology to enhance to court experience and radically improve the administration of justice and court performance. He also oversee the move from the old Superior Court to the Ruane Judicial Center.

He has also forged strong working relationships with prosecutors, defense bar, law enforcement, civil litigators, and the Sheriff’s department as well as all the departments within the Trial Court and Superior Court system to help create a comfortable court setting that operates smoothly.

Tom’s job is not done, and he looks forward to his next term in office to bring the Essex County Superior Courts to even greater levels.