Pamela Robinson Joins D.C. Bar as New Communities Director

March 28, 2022

The D.C. Bar has named Pamela Robinson as the new director of its Communities, the voluntary arm of the Bar that provides members with practice-specific career development and networking opportunities. In her role, Robinson will oversee the Bar’s 21 Communities, organized according to practice area; develop and execute quality programming; and foster high-value relationships with volunteer leaders, among other responsibilities.

Robinson brings to the position decades of experience developing and implementing a wide range of programs and resources at the American Bar Association, where she most recently served as director of its Division for Bar Services. In that position, Robinson supported the strategic direction of the ABA’s outreach efforts to and services for the more than 350 general purpose bar associations around the country and managed the division’s flagship program, the annual Bar Leadership Institute.

Robinson served as deputy director of the ABA’s Division for Bar Services from 2014 to 2017, and previously as associate director starting in 1995. In addition, Robinson managed board operations for the National Association of Bar Executives and the National Conference of Bar Presidents, as well as served as staff liaison to the ABA Standing Committee on Bar Activities and Services, the volunteer entity that provides vision for the ABA’s outreach to the organized bar.

“After working at the national level throughout my career, I am excited at the prospect of taking what I’ve learned about working with niche groups at the ABA to a position at the state level,” Robinson said. “The Communities director position at the D.C. Bar is a perfect fit. It allows me to continue my work on behalf of the organized bar, and it brings me back to my hometown. I’m looking forward to getting started.”  

A native of Washington, D.C., Robinson earned her bachelor’s degree in government and politics at the University of Maryland at College Park. She began her career working for the Close Up Foundation, which conducts civics education programs in the District for high school students from across the nation. Following her stint at the foundation, Robinson moved to Chicago and worked for the ABA’s Division for Public Education, where she wrote newsletters and provided information to social studies educators about ABA law-related education resources.