Tuckahoe NY Pride

Roberta “Robbie” Kaplan is a prominent U.S. civil rights and commercial litigator whose career has intersected with landmark LGBTQ equality battles. An out lesbian, she helped reshape constitutional recognition of same-sex relationships as lead counsel for Edith Windsor Windsor in United States v. Windsor (2013), the Supreme Court decision that struck down key parts of the Defense of Marriage Act. Kaplan has also represented LGBTQ clients and organizations in discrimination and workplace matters, bringing a pragmatic courtroom style to movement goals. Beyond litigation, she has supported community leadership and visibility for LGBTQ lawyers and mentored younger advocates through networks.

Quote: “…becoming a great lawyer requires that you be courageous, press boundaries wherever you are, and insist that things can always change for the better, especially now.”

Photo credit Heratch Ekmekjian