Page 20 - NYLJ Professional Excellence 2021

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

STEPHEN ROBINSON

OF COUNSEL AT SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM

Judge Robinson’s professional achievements defy categorization. His more than 30-year career

includes three impressive and distinctive chapters, when any one chapter on its own would merit
a Lifetime Achievement honor.

His work in the public sector alone would presided over the full array of civil matters and
provide ample reason to honor him, howev- criminal cases including the conviction and
er, intertwined with his government work is sentencing of a former New York City Police
a second career in the private sector that by Commissioner.
itself marks him as a lawyer of distinction. Not Judge Robinson worked has a private
being contented with his work in the public and investigator and managing director at Kroll
private sectors, Judge Robinson has combined Associates where he performed high profile
those careers with a third as citizen-lawyer international investigations. His first was the
BY MELIQUE who volunteers his time in service of others. investigation of alleged war crimes by the Iraqi
JONES Judge Robinson started his public sector army during their occupation of Kuwait. That
career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the investigation became the definitive word on
Southern District of New York where he was what happened in the Kuwaiti hospitals during
awarded the Department of Justice’s Director’s that time. He then was hired by the Brazil-
Award for Superior Service. Later, he served ian Congress to investigate President Collor
as the Principal Deputy General Counsel and de Mello, who resigned his office as a result
Special Assistant to the Director of the FBI. of the international investigation. Judge Rob-
While at the Bureau he investigated espionage inson’s private sector career continued with
and terrorism matters including the first World stints as the Chief Compliance Officer of Aetna
Trade Center and the Oklahoma City bomb- U.S. Healthcare, and as CEO of Empower New
ings. U.S. Presidents from both political parties Haven, where he designed, developed, imple-
have nominated him for positions requiring mented and managed a strategic plan for the
Senate confirmation. First, President Clinton New Haven Empowerment Zone. For the last
nominated Judge Robinson to serve as the decade Judge Robinson has been a partner in
U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut the litigation and the government enforcement
where his office conducted high profile public and white-collar crime group at Skadden, Arps,
corruption investigations leading to the con- Slate, Meagher and Flom, where he has rep-
viction of the Governor, and the mayors of resented corporations in multi-district, class
two major cities. President George W. Bush action and civil litigations along with individu-
nominated Judge Robinson for a seat on the als and corporations in criminal matters.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Owing to a relentless work ethic and too little
New York. During his tenure on the bench, he sleep Judge Robinson has crafted an extraor-
dinary third career as a citizen-lawyer. He cur-
rently serves as a trustee on four prominent
Melique Jones is director of talent pipeline and diver- boards: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts,
sity, equity and inclusion at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Cornell University, The New York Community
Meagher & Flom. Trust, and Weill Cornell Medicine. » Page 109

18 October 2021 |