The Honorable Richard A. Robinson, the first African-American Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, will deliver the 2018 Ihlenfeld Lecture at the West Virginia University College of Law on Nov. 7 at noon in the Marlyn E. Lugar Courtroom.

A 1984 graduate of the WVU College of Law, Robinson will discuss the judiciary in a multicultural world. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

Robinson was appointed as Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court in 2018 after serving five years on the court. Before that, he was a judge on the Connecticut Appellate Court and a Connecticut Superior Court judge. He has also served as presiding civil judge for the New Britain, Ansonia/Milford, and Stamford judicial districts in Connecticut.

Throughout his legal career, Robinson has served in human rights and educational organizations, including the NAACP, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, and the Connecticut Judicial Education Curriculum Committee. His work in human rights has been recognized by the Connecticut State Bar Association, the NAACP, and the Connecticut Bar Foundation.

Robinson earned a B.A. from the University of Connecticut in 1979.

The Charles L. Ihlenfeld (1908-89) Lecture annually brings to the WVU College of Law distinguished speakers in public service and ethics. A prominent lawyer for 56 years and a former mayor of Wheeling, Ihlenfeld devoted much of his life to public service. The Ihlenfeld lectures, established in his memory, honor a life and career marked by significant contributions to the practice of law, to the legal profession, and to civic affairs of his state and community.