Robin Stacie Rosenbaum

Robin Stacie Rosenbaum (born 1966) is an American jurist who has served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit since 2014. Prior to her elevation to the appellate bench, she held positions as a United States magistrate judge and later as a district judge in the Southern District of Florida. Her career spans service in the Department of Justice, private practice, federal prosecution, and academia, reflecting extensive experience in both civil and criminal matters.

Early life and legal career

Robin Rosenbaum was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 1966 and spent part of her youth in Florida, where she attended Pine Crest School. She pursued undergraduate studies at Cornell University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1988. While at Cornell, Rosenbaum participated actively in campus life, serving as an elected member of the university’s Board of Trustees, joining the honor society Quill and Dagger, and becoming a sister of Alpha Chi Omega through its Zeta Phi chapter.

Following her undergraduate work, she enrolled at the University of Miami School of Law. She earned her Juris Doctor magna cum laude in 1991, an indication of high academic achievement. Upon admission to the bar, Rosenbaum began her legal career as a trial attorney within the Federal Programs Branch of the United States Department of Justice, where she worked from 1991 until 1995. In this role she handled cases involving federal programs and regulatory enforcement.

From 1995 to 1996 she served as staff counsel for the Office of the Independent Counsel, providing legal support on investigations that required independence from standard departmental channels. She then entered private practice at Holland & Knight, a major Florida law firm, where she worked as a litigation associate between 1996 and 1997 with an emphasis on employment law matters.

Rosenbaum returned to the federal judiciary in 1998 as a clerk for Judge Stanley Marcus of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The clerkship offered her insight into appellate procedures and opinion drafting. After completing this one‑year term, she joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida as an Assistant United States Attorney. Over the next nine years (1998–2007) she prosecuted a broad array of federal offenses, rising to become Chief of the Economic Crime Section in Fort Lauderdale in 2002. In that capacity she oversaw investigations and prosecutions involving financial fraud, with particular attention to elder abuse and related schemes.

In addition to her prosecutorial duties, Rosenbaum contributed to legal education as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law beginning in 2009, teaching courses that drew upon her extensive courtroom experience. Her combined background in government service, private practice, and academia prepared her for subsequent judicial appointments.

Federal appellate service

Rosenbaum’s first judicial appointment came in 2007 when she was selected to serve as a United States magistrate judge for the Southern District of Florida. As a magistrate, she handled pretrial matters, conducted evidentiary hearings, and issued reports and recommendations on dispositive motions, gaining valuable experience in federal trial practice.

President Barack Obama nominated Rosenbaum to the district court on November 30, 2011, designating her to fill the vacancy created by Judge Alan Stephen Gold’s transition to senior status. The United States Senate confirmed her nomination with a vote of 92–3 on June 26, 2012, and she received her commission the following day, officially becoming a United States district judge for the Southern District of Florida.

Rosenbaum served as a district judge for less than two years before being elevated to the appellate bench. On November 7, 2013 President Obama submitted her name to the Senate for a seat on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on February 11, 2014, and reported her nomination out of committee by voice vote on March 6, 2014. Cloture was invoked on May 8, 2014, with a 57–37 vote, clearing the way for final confirmation. On May 12, 2014 the Senate confirmed Rosenbaum unanimously, 91‑0, and she received her commission on June 2, 2014. She has remained an active circuit judge since that time.

In her capacity as an Eleventh Circuit judge, Rosenbaum participates in panels that review appeals from federal district courts within Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. The court addresses a wide spectrum of legal issues, including constitutional questions, civil rights claims, commercial disputes, and criminal matters. As a member of the appellate judiciary, she contributes to the development of precedent that guides lower courts throughout the circuit.

Jurisprudence and legacy

Throughout her tenure on both the district and appellate courts, Rosenbaum has been recognized for applying rigorous legal analysis grounded in statutory text and precedent. Her background as a federal prosecutor informs a nuanced understanding of criminal law, particularly in cases involving economic offenses and elder financial abuse. While specific opinions authored by her are not detailed here, her participation in Eleventh Circuit panels reflects an ongoing role in shaping the interpretation of federal statutes and constitutional principles within the circuit’s jurisdiction.

Rosenbaum’s academic involvement as an adjunct professor underscores a commitment to mentoring future lawyers and sharing practical insights from her courtroom experience. Her teaching activities complement her judicial duties by fostering dialogue between the bench and legal education communities.

In addition to her professional responsibilities, Rosenbaum is listed among notable Jewish American jurists, highlighting the diversity of backgrounds represented within the federal judiciary. Her career trajectory—from Department of Justice trial attorney through private practice, federal prosecution, magistracy, district judgeship, and finally appellate service—exemplifies a progression through multiple facets of the legal system.

As an active member of the Eleventh Circuit, Rosenbaum continues to contribute to the administration of justice at the federal level. Her decisions, together with those of her colleagues, affect the development of law across three states and influence broader national jurisprudence through citation in other courts. The combination of prosecutorial expertise, academic engagement, and extensive judicial experience positions her as a significant figure within the contemporary federal appellate landscape.