Beth Robinson (born March 6, 1965) is an American lawyer and judge from Vermont. She is a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and is the first openly lesbian judge to serve on any federal court of appeals. Robinson served as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 2011 to 2021.
Robinson was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and she was raised and educated in Indiana. She graduated from Dartmouth College (BA, 1986) and the University of Chicago Law School (JD, 1989). After serving as a law clerk for a federal judge, Robinson joined Vermont's Langrock, Sperry & Wool law firm, where she was active on cases related to workers' compensation, personal injury, and constitutional law. Robinson became active in the movement for expanded rights for gays and lesbians, and served as co-counsel in the case of Baker v. State, the 1999 decision that led to Vermont passing the first civil unions law. As chair of the Vermont Freedom to Marry organization, Robinson was a high-profile supporter of same-sex marriage, and worked with leaders of the Vermont General Assembly on passage of the 2009 Marriage Equality Act.
After working on Peter Shumlin's successful campaign for governor in 2010, Robinson joined his staff as legal counsel, a position which included drafting and analyzing proposed legislation and regulations, making recommendations on whether to approve requests for pardons, and ensuring compliance with ethics rules. In 2011, Shumlin appointed Robinson as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. She served until 2021, when she resigned after having been confirmed as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Early life and education
Robinson was born in Karachi, Pakistan, on March 6, 1965, the daughter of Dr. Robert D. Robinson Jr. and Cynthia (Pittenger) Robinson. Robinson's father worked in Pakistan at the time of her birth, and she was raised in Indiana. In 1982, she graduated from Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis. While at Brebeuf, Robinson was a member of the basketball and tennis teams, the French club, and the orchestra. She won honors in mathematics contests and won the Optimist's Club's oratorical contest. At graduation, Robinson was named a National Merit Scholar.
In 1986, Robinson received her Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and government from Dartmouth College, and she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. During 1985, she spent a semester abroad as a student at the University of Edinburgh.
Robinson graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 1989, and was admitted to the Order of the Coif. She was a recipient of the Mechem Prize, a full merit scholarship. While in law school, Robinson was a member of the University of Chicago Law Review and then served as an associate editor.
Legal career
After graduating from law school, Robinson was a law clerk for Judge David B. Sentelle of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1989 to 1990. She was an associate attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom of Washington, D.C. from 1990 to 1991 and self employed as an attorney under contract by Hirschkop & Associates of Alexandria, Virginia from 1992 to 1993. Robinson was employed for 18 years at Langrock, Sperry & Wool, a law firm with offices in Burlington and Middlebury. While there, she worked on issues of workers' compensation, personal injury, constitutional law and, most prominently, gay and lesbian rights.
Robinson served as co-counsel in the case of Baker v. State, the landmark 1999 decision that led to Vermont becoming the first state to enact civil unions. She was subsequently involved in the 2009 legislative battle to enact same-sex marriage, chairing the Vermont Freedom to Marry advocacy organization and working closely with Peter Shumlin, a prominent supporter of same-sex marriage, who was then President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate.
In addition to practicing law, Robinson has also taught at the college level. She was a senior lecturer at Dartmouth College during the 2006 summer term and again during the 2009 spring term. Robinson served as a justice of the peace for the town of Ferrisburgh from 2003 to 2011. In 2008, she was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention and pledged to support Hillary Clinton.