Beth Robinson

Beth Robinson (born 1965) is an American jurist who serves as a United States circuit judge on the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She previously held a seat on the Vermont Supreme Court from 2011 until her elevation to the federal bench in 2021, and she is noted for being the first openly lesbian judge appointed to a U.S. court of appeals.

Early life and legal career

Robinson was born in Karachi, Pakistan, where her father, Dr. Robert D. Robinson Jr., was working at the time. The family relocated to Indiana during her childhood, and she completed her secondary education at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis in 1982. While there she participated in athletics, music, and academic clubs, earned recognition for mathematics competitions, won an oratorical contest, and graduated as a National Merit Scholar.

She pursued undergraduate studies at Dartmouth College, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and government in 1986. Robinson graduated summa cum laude, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and spent a semester abroad at the University of Edinburgh during her junior year. She then attended the University of Chicago Law School, where she earned a Juris Doctor in 1989. At Chicago she was admitted to the Order of the Coif, received the Mechem Prize, contributed to the law review as a member and later associate editor, and completed a full merit scholarship.

Following law school, Robinson clerked for Judge David B. Sentelle on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1989 to 1990. She entered private practice with a brief tenure at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in Washington, D.C., and later worked under contract for Hirschkop & Associates in Alexandria, Virginia. In 1992 she joined Langrock, Sperry & Wool, a Vermont firm with offices in Burlington and Middlebury, where she remained for eighteen years. Her practice there encompassed workers’ compensation, personal injury, constitutional law, and, most prominently, civil‑rights matters affecting gay and lesbian individuals.

Robinson’s advocacy contributed to two landmark developments in Vermont’s recognition of same‑sex relationships. She served as co‑counsel in the 1999 case Baker v. State, which resulted in the state’s adoption of civil unions—the first such law in the United States. A decade later she chaired the Vermont Freedom to Marry organization and worked closely with then‑Senate President pro tempore Peter Shumlin on the legislative effort that produced the 2009 Marriage Equality Act, legalizing same‑sex marriage in Vermont.

In addition to her litigation work, Robinson held several public service roles. She was a senior lecturer at Dartmouth College during summer 2006 and spring 2009, teaching courses related to her areas of expertise. From 2003 to 2011 she served as a justice of the peace for the town of Ferrisburgh, Vermont. Her involvement with the legal profession extended to the Vermont Board of Bar Examiners, where she was an associate member (1999‑2003), examiner (2003‑2009), vice chair (2009‑2010), and chair in 2010. Politically, Robinson participated as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2008, pledging support for then‑presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Robinson entered state government after working on Shumlin’s successful 2010 gubernatorial campaign. He appointed her as his general counsel, a position that required drafting and reviewing legislation, advising on pardons, and ensuring compliance with ethics regulations. Her tenure in the governor’s office preceded her appointment to the Vermont Supreme Court.

In October 2011 Governor Shumlin announced Robinson’s selection for an associate justice seat vacated by Denise R. Johnson. Because the state Senate was not then in session, she initially served on an interim basis after being sworn in on November 28, 2011. When the Senate reconvened, her nomination received unanimous approval (26‑0) on February 7, 2012, with all absent senators subsequently expressing support. Robinson remained on the Vermont Supreme Court for nearly a decade, hearing appeals and authoring opinions across a broad spectrum of state law.

Federal appellate service

President Joe Biden nominated Robinson to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on August 5, 2021, designating her to fill the vacancy created when Judge Peter W. Hall assumed senior status earlier that year. The nomination was reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee, and a hearing took place on September 14, 2021. Following committee consideration, the full Senate confirmed Robinson on November 1, 2021. She received her commission shortly thereafter and has served as an active circuit judge from that date onward.

Robinson’s appointment marked a historic first: she became the inaugural openly lesbian jurist to sit on any federal appellate court. Her service on the Second Circuit places her within a jurisdiction covering New York, Connecticut, and Vermont, where the court addresses a wide array of federal issues, including civil rights, commercial law, and constitutional questions.

Jurisprudence and legacy

Robinson’s professional trajectory reflects extensive experience in both state and federal legal systems, as well as sustained involvement in civil‑rights advocacy. Her early work on civil unions and marriage equality contributed to Vermont’s reputation as a pioneer in LGBTQ + rights, and her leadership roles within advocacy organizations demonstrated a commitment to expanding constitutional protections for marginalized groups.

On the bench, Robinson has drawn upon her background in constitutional law and public policy. While specific opinions authored since joining the Second Circuit are not detailed here, her prior judicial service on the Vermont Supreme Court involved interpreting state statutes and constitutional provisions, often with implications for individual rights and governmental authority. The breadth of her earlier practice—ranging from workers’ compensation to personal injury—provides a foundation for addressing the diverse docket typical of an appellate court.

Robinson’s legacy also includes contributions to legal education and professional regulation. Her teaching stints at Dartmouth College introduced undergraduate students to complex legal concepts, while her long tenure on the Vermont Board of Bar Examiners helped shape standards for admission to the practice of law in the state. Additionally, her role as a justice of the peace underscored a dedication to community-level judicial service.

By ascending from state‑level jurisprudence to a prominent federal appellate position, Robinson exemplifies a career path that bridges grassroots advocacy, legislative counsel, and high court adjudication. Her historic status as an openly lesbian appellate judge adds a notable dimension to the evolving diversity of the federal judiciary, signaling broader representation within the nation’s legal institutions. As she continues her service on the Second Circuit, Robinson’s decisions will contribute to the development of federal law across New England and influence national jurisprudential trends.