Jamaican American attorney Janice Robinson won a seat on the municipal court in Brooklyn’s 6th District in a landslide on June 25, 2024. She defeated Kenneth Gayle, also a Jamaican American lawyer, in the Democratic primary race for one of two Civil Court positions in the district with over 72 percent of the vote.
A lifelong resident of Brooklyn
Janice Robinson was born and raised in Brooklyn to Jamaican immigrant parents and has served as a civil litigator for over two decades. Currently residing in Bedford-Stuyvesant with her family—her husband of 20 years and their two teenage children—she first became involved with public service when she worked on the political campaign of her uncle, Nick Perry, a former New York State Assembly man who now serves as the United States ambassador to Jamaica.
She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and speech arts from Hofstra University and earned her law degree at the American University Washington College of Law. Always interested in serving her community, she gained even more experience as a member of the first black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Learning from experience
During her 20 years as a civil litigator, Robinson worked for major insurance firms and has seen how the demographics of the judges on the bench have become more diverse. She emphasizes that judges are responsible for “listening, assessing, and making important decisions that affect the people of our community” and should be the first to embody fairness and equality before the law.
Robinson added that because she has appeared before many of the judges in Kings County, she had a “unique perspective” that allowed her to identify the characteristics that would make a judgeship effective. These include “temperament, professionalism, knowledge of the law, an ability to listen, and showing respect for the litigants.” She says judges should have the ability to move civil cases through quickly for Kings County, in particular, as they may see 100 or more cases on any given day.
“Ready to serve”
Robinson is “ready to deliver” and aims to provide the fairness and equity Brooklyn residents need in the courts. She has had a “front-row seat” in the courts for 20 years, she said, and has witnessed “excellent examples” of what effective judgeship means. She also believes she has an opportunity to do what she can to ensure that Brooklyn’s people get “justice that is compassionate and understanding, and that considers their individual circumstances when possible.” She added, “Brooklyn deserves that.”
