Additional Information

Presented by the CTLA Women's Caucus

Three Distinguished Speakers Will Share What They’ve Learned as Judges - Do’s and Don’ts for Trial Lawyers Based on Real-Life Experiences!

Senior Justice Christine Vertefeuille
Senior Justice Christine S. Vertefeuille is a Connecticut native, born in New Britain on December 10, 1950. She graduated from Trinity College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1972 and the University of Connecticut School of Law with a Juris Doctor in 1975.

Justice Vertefeuille was in private practice from 1975-1989. Justice Vertefeuille began her career as a judge with her 1989 appointment to the Superior Court. During her tenure as a Superior Court Judge, she presided over the Connecticut silicone gel breast implant cases (1993-99). In addition, Justice Vertefeuille served as the Administrative Judge in the Waterbury Judicial District (1994-99) and as a Complex Litigation Judge (1999). She was the recipient of the 1995 Judicial Award from the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association. While serving as a Superior Court Judge, Justice Vertefeuille was on the faculty of the Connecticut Judges Institute.

Justice Vertefeuille was appointed Judge of the Appellate Court on September 13, 1999, and Justice of the Supreme Court on January 3, 2000. She served as the Administrative Judge of the Appellate System from June 1, 2000 to July 31, 2006.

Justice Vertefeuille served as a member of the Fellows Education and Program Committee of the Connecticut Bar Foundation. In October of 2006, she was awarded the Tenth Anniversary Award from the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut and in May of 2006, she received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the Quinnipiac University School of Law. In December of 2004, Justice Vertefeuille received the Gatekeeper Award from “Common Good,” a national organization devoted to restoring public confidence in the law.

Honorable Barbara M. Quinn
Judge Barbara M. Quinn was appointed the Chief Court Administrator by Chief Justice Rogers on November 1, 2007, having served as the Deputy Chief Court Administrator for the previous six months.  Prior to these appointments, she was the Chief Administrative Judge for Juvenile Matters for two years. She previously for a period of four years was assigned to the Superior Court’s Child Protection Session, a special statewide docket expediting trials for termination of parental rights cases to which four judges are assigned. She served as the court’s presiding judge from 1999 to 2001.

Prior to her appointment to the Superior Court bench in 1996, she served as a judge of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Court and was a member of the Tribe’s Child Protection Committee when the Tribe was first establishing its child protection system in 1992.

She received her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College with honors and her law degree from Emory University School of Law. She is admitted to the Connecticut and the Rhode Island state bar, the bar of the federal district court as well as the United States Supreme Court. She was engaged in private practice in New London for nineteen years and often served as counsel for minor children in the family and juvenile courts.   She has lectured frequently on family law and juvenile law topics and was instrumental in establishing a mediation program in the juvenile court in Connecticut. 

Honorable Robin L. Wilson
The Honorable Robin Lynn Wilson was born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut.  She is the daughter of Clara A. Lawhorn and the late Kermit S. Wilson and the stepdaughter of Horace Lawhorn, Jr.  Judge Wilson attended St. Martin de Porres Elementary School and St. Mary’s Highschool in New Haven.  She is a 1982 graduate of Connecticut College where she majored in Government. Upon graduating from Connecticut College, she was admitted to Northeastern University School of Law where she received her Juris Doctor (JD) degree in 1985.  Judge Wilson also has a Master of Laws degree (LLM) from New York University School of Law.  Judge Wilson was appointed Assistant Attorney General in 1986 by Senator Joseph I. Lieberman and worked in both the Child Support and Workers’ Compensation departments until March 1994 at which time she was appointed a Workers’ Compensation Commissioner by then Governor Lowell P. Weicker.  In May 2003, Governor John G. Rowland nominated her to the Superior Court bench.  She was unanimously confirmed by the General Assembly and sworn in on June 9, 2003.  In January 2011, Governor Dannel P. Malloy nominated Judge Wilson to a second eight year term on the bench.  She was unanimously confirmed by the General Assembly.  Judge Wilson is presently assigned to the New Haven Judicial District where she presides over civil cases.

Judge Wilson is a member of numerous professional and civic organizations which include the New Haven Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Elm City Adult Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club’s, Inc., New Haven County Bar Association, George W. Crawford Black Bar Association, Connecticut Judge’s Association, Inn of Court, Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary, Council and Court #266, and St. Martin de Porres Stewardship Council. 

Judge Wilson was elected a 2011 Fellow of the Connecticut Bar Foundation James W. Cooper Fellows Program.  The James W. Cooper Fellows Program was established to honor the leading members of the legal profession and the Judiciary in Connecticut.  Membership in the Fellows is by invitation only and is evidence of professional distinction.

In 2006 Mayor John DeStefano appointed Judge Wilson to the City of New Haven Youth Commission where she, with other Commission members, is committed to enhancing the lives of New Haven’s youth by ensuring that the City of New Haven provide the youth of this community with the necessary services to empower them so that they can become productive citizens of our community.  Judge Wilson sat in Juvenile court for 3 ½ years and is truly dedicated and committed to enhancing the lives of the children of our community.