Another Big First - Sandra Robinson - First African American President, Public Justice Foundation - and a Big Surprise

Sandra Robinson, Senior Trial Lawyer at the Washington Malpractice Law Firm, Jack Olender & Associates, racked up another first Monday, July 16. Attorney Robinson was elected President of the Public Justice Foundation, its first African American President. She was installed as President Tuesday evening, July 17 at Public Justice's 26^th Annual Gala at the Field Museum in Chicago. Public Justice funds pro bono law offices and lawsuits across the country, providing legal representation to protect legal rights and constitutional rights to assure equal justice for all. The pro bono legal representation ranges from local administrative cases to U.S. Supreme Court cases.

Although Sandra Robinson's "day job" is the defense of children and adults injured by medical and hospital malpractice, she has always made time to volunteer her legal talents to the cause of equal justice for all. After she finishes her gig next summer as Public Justice Foundation President, she will take over as President of the Civil Justice Foundation to which she was elected Vice President at its Chicago meeting this week.

Attorney Robinson, who is also a long-time Governor of the American Association for Justice (formerly American Trial Lawyers Association), received a big surprise Sunday morning, July 15 at the Women's Caucus brunch of the trial lawyers at its annual convention in Chicago. Some 300 female lawyers with a few male lawyers in the ballroom witnessed Sandra Robinson receive the Women's Caucus Annual Award for leadership and mentoring of women lawyers.

Jack Olender verifies that Sandra Robinson was really surprised. He says, "Sandra had no idea she was to be honored by the Women's Caucus. She's the kind of person who goes about her work without expecting accolades and she conducts herself in a way that doesn't bruise the fragile egos of lawyers she has to deal with. We had a heck of a time making sure she arrived at the brunch on time from a previous engagement without giving away the secret

All nine members of the Olender Law Firm attended the Chicago festivities honoring Sandra Robinson. Mr. Olender notes, "'Justice, justice, you shall pursue,' said Hillel. Sandra Robinson devotes her life to the pursuit of justice and we are all proud of her."

Ms. Robinson is Past President of the Women's Bar Association Foundation, and Past President of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. She is one of five attorneys at the Olender firm-and the first woman-ever to have been elected to that post. Ms Robinson has been elected Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Trial Lawyers Association, D.C. and she has also received the Presidential Award of the National Bar Association. In 2003, Sandra Robinson was honored as a "Star of the Bar" by the Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia for her outstanding skills as a trial lawyer and her service to the community. She is repeatedly listed in the Best Lawyers in America and was recently honored as a Washington DC Super Lawyer and one of the Top 50 Women Washington DC Super Lawyers by Law & Politics Magazine.