Biography of Representative Ken Gordon

Kenneth I. Gordon is a Democratic state legislator representing the 21st Middlesex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Born November 4, 1959, Gordon is a resident of Bedford, Massachusetts, and has served in the legislature since 2013. His district includes Bedford, Burlington, and Precinct 6 in Lexington.

Education

Gordon earned his Bachelor's degree in journalism from Northeastern University and a Juris Doctorate cum laude from Suffolk University Law School. He previously worked as a sportswriter for The Palm Beach Post and Evening Times.

Political Experience

Gordon has held several significant committee positions throughout his legislative career. He currently serves as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Service and as House Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development. Previously, he served as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Election Laws and the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, and as a member of multiple other committees including Transportation, Community Development and Small Businesses, and Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets.

Notable Achievements

Among his key legislative accomplishments, Gordon championed the Paid Family and Medical Leave program, which was passed into law in 2018 as part of a "Grand Bargain" bill. The program allows working parents to replace lost income when caring for newborns or hospitalized family members.

Gordon has also led efforts in his district including reducing family homelessness, securing permanent education funding for military families at Hanscom Air Force Base, establishing a Regional Transportation Management Association to reduce traffic congestion, and advocating for equitable unemployment insurance reform. He successfully championed the Uniform Wage Compliance and Parental Leave Acts, both signed into law.

Professional Background

Gordon is an employment attorney with 36 years of legal experience, specializing in workplace discrimination, harassment cases, and commercial disputes. He founded Gordon Law Office, LLC in 2000 and has served on the Bedford Zoning Board of Appeals and as Chairman of the Bedford Cultural Council.