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Attorney David A. Robinson

David was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1953. He earned a B.A. in economics in 1974 from George Washington University and J.D. in 1977 from Washington University in St. Louis. He was a senior editor of the Washington University Law Review. He returned to Springfield, was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1977, and practiced law in Springfield from 1977 to 2008. He represented some clients of his own, but he always enjoyed helping other lawyers represent their own clients. So, in addition to representing his own clients, he did legal research and writing for other lawyers. He called his own clientele his "retail" law practice and his work for other lawyers his "wholesale" or "freelance" law practice. A "wholesale" lawyer provides service to a "retail" lawyer, who provides service to the ultimate consumer: the client. David did legal research and writing, or ghostwriting, for many Massachusetts lawyers. In 1995-96 he wrote a book about his wholesale/freelance practice, entitled Practicing Law Without Clients: Making a Living as a Freelance Lawyer. The American Bar Association published his book in 1996. In 1997 David, who had not married, met a woman from North Haven, Connecticut. They have been a couple ever since. David moved to Connecticut in 2002, married the woman (Esther) in 2003, was admitted to the Connecticut Bar in 2006, and taught at the University of New Haven from 2005 to 2014. Since 2014, he has concentrated almost entirely on wholesale law practice: He has done legal research and writing for Connecticut lawyers. In 2015 he was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. In 2021 David earned a master of science (M.S.) degree in psychology from Purdue University Global, Purdue's online division. Listed below are some cases David handled as a "retail" lawyer (he represented the client himself), the books David wrote, and some articles David wrote.
CASES DAVID BRIEFED AND ARGUED IN APPELLATE COURTSStonehill College v. Massachusetts Comm'n Against Discrimination, 441 Mass. 549, 808 N.E.2d 205 (2004)O’Brien v. Town of Agawam, 350 F.3d 279 (1st Cir. 2003)Dalrymple v. Town of Winthrop, 50 Mass.App.Ct. 611, 740 N.E.2d 204 (2000)Armstrong v. Jefferson Smurfit Corp., 30 F.3d 11 (1st Cir. 1994)Draghetti v. Chmielewski, 416 Mass. 808, 626 N.E.2d 862 (1994)Commonwealth v. Alabarces, 385 Mass. 1012, 434 N.E.2d 205 (1982)Commonwealth v. Therrien, 383 Mass. 529, 420 N.E.2d 897 (1981)Bell v. Surveillance Unlimited, Inc., 9 Mass.App.Ct. 835, 399 N.E.2d 509 (1980)Commonwealth v. Ronayne, 8 Mass.App.Ct. 421, 395 N.E.2d 350 (1979)Commonwealth v. Cotter, 8 Mass.App.Ct. 476, 395 N.E.2d 488 (1979)
David and Esther Robinson, Fenway Park, Boston 2013 World Series game 6, Oct. 30, 2013
Esther and David at Rock of Gibraltar, Spain-Gibraltar, 2012
Esther and David at the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, July 26, 2019
Esther, David, and Laura at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas Feb. 19, 2022
Four generations of David's family, Feb. 26, 2023. Aunt Dorothy (the last surviving member of David's parents' generation), David, nephew Matt, and, if you look closely over David's right shoulder, grand-nephew Kaleb. They are celebrating David's 70th birthday and some other February birthdays. [Update: Dorothy died on June 3, 2023. David, his sisters, and his cousins are now the older generation of the family. This is still a nice picture; Dorothy was a great lady.]
David's book published by American Bar Association in 1996
Esther and David at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, April 24, 2022 DAVID'S BOOKS AND PARTIAL LIST OF HIS ARTICLES David A. Robinson, CBA Legal Researchers and Writers Community List, CT Lawyer (Connecticut Bar Association magazine), May/June 2021 David A. Robinson, Faith-Based Human Resource Management (2018 Edition, 2017 Edition, 2016 Edition) (Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing) David A. Robinson, Workplace Discrimination Prevention Manual: Tips for Executives, Managers, and Students to Increase Productivity and Reduce Litigation (Archway Publishing 2013) David A. Robinson & Robert G. Brody, “Employers Beware—Big Changes Expected Under Obama,” Fairfield County Business Journal, Nov. 17, 2008, p. 37David A. Robinson & Robert G. Brody, “Connecticut Supreme Court Review — Employment Law,” Connecticut Law Tribune supplement, Sept. 15, 2008, p. 5 David A. Robinson, A Legal and Ethical Handbook for Ending Discrimination in the Workplace (Paulist Press 2003)David A. Robinson, “Caps Are Needed on Emotional Distress Damages” Business West (monthly newspaper in western Massachusetts), June 1999, p. 50 David A. Robinson, “Ending the ‘Pretext Only/Pretext Plus’ Debate” (discussion of “pretext” in employment discrimination law) Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, Aug. 17, 1998, p. 11 David A. Robinson, Some Attorneys Find Happiness Selling Their Services "Wholesale.” Law Practice Management (American Bar Association magazine) July/August 1997 David A. Robinson, Practicing Law Without Clients: Making a Living as a Freelance Lawyer (American Bar Association 1996) David A. Robinson, "Wholesale Legal Services: A Viable Career Alternative," Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyers Journal, April 1995, p. 2David A. Robinson, Discovery of the Plaintiff’s Mental Health History in an Employment Discrimination Case, 16 W. New Eng. L. Rev. 55 (1994) David A. Robinson, “Let’s Cure Referencephobia” (why employers needn’t be quite as fearful of lawsuits when giving job references as many employers are, and what employers can do to improve the flow of useful information about employees), Business West, Feb. 1993David A. Robinson, “Both Sides Now: Executive Women and Employment Discrimination,” Women Unlimited (monthly magazine in western Massachusetts), Nov. 1992David A. Robinson, “Age Discrimination: A Short Guide and a Practical Tip” Chamber Channels (Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce newsletter), June 1992David A. Robinson, “Dissenters Need Not Apply: Private Employees and Free Speech” Massachusetts Bar Association Labor and Employment Section News, April 1992David A. Robinson, Redefining the Advocate’s Role: A Contract Theory of Legal Ethics. 3 W. New Eng. L. Rev. 409 (1981) Esther and David in Lisbon, Portugal, 2018