By Jeanine Matlow
Legal News
The career path for Robin B. Wagner may not have been a straight one, but the civil rights attorney who recently introduced her own firm, Robin Wagner Law in Ann Arbor, seems to have finally found her calling.
In addition to her specialties that include employee discrimination, housing discrimination and various civil rights matters, Wagner also does some pro bono work for incarcerated individuals through the Eastern District of Michigan chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
Wagner, a Baltimore native, attended Princeton University as an undergraduate student where she majored in East Asian Studies. A Ph.D. in Medieval Chinese History from Harvard University would follow along with a change of heart.
“I realized I didn’t want a traditional academic career, so I went into the world outside academia and worked for a business consulting firm doing communications and writing,” she said.
Wagner did not care for that so much, but when a colleague left to head the Field Museum in Chicago, she followed to work in educational programs there for a few years.
Her next stint would be at the University of Chicago in the career services department where Wagner helped graduate students find jobs outside of academia. Then she went to an independent nonprofit that offered study abroad trips for college programs.
“I got to travel all over the world,” said Wagner. “It was a great experience, but I got promoted to a point where I didn’t like my job anymore.”
In 2000, Wagner was inspired by the LGBTQ rights that were happening in the courts, so she decided to leave her career and pursue law.
“I went to law school in my mid-40s,” she said. “My mother and father both went to law school. My mom practiced and both her parents went to law school as well.
It was a long time coming to follow into the family trade.”
Wagner graduated from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago.
“It really inspired me to make the world a better place,” she said.
When her wife, Sharon Haar, became a professor of architecture at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, they made the move to Michigan.
For nine years, Wagner worked at Pitt McGehee Palmer Bonanni & Rivers, a prominent civil rights firm in Royal Oak.
“I loved every minute of it, but at some point in the last year, I was ready to hang out my own shingle and be more of a citizen of Ann Arbor,” she said. “My center of gravity had always pulled me to Royal Oak.”
It seems she made the right decision.
“I have found, to my great pleasure and satisfaction, every day I wake up thinking about my clients’ cases and strategies,” added Wagner. “They inspire me to stand up for their rights when they’ve been violated and they’re willing to fight for that. Trying to fight for your rights can start to feel like you’ve done something wrong.”
One downside to being an attorney, she admitted, is the inherent conflict built into the profession.
“I try to balance that and not take it personally. The defense is doing their job, too. It can be a struggle when there is consistent conflict, but I want to help as many people as I can,” Wagner explained. “Being a lawyer is a helping profession, but it can be hard to meet someone and talk through what happened to them.
“You have to figure out if there is a case here or come to terms with what happened and move on. That in itself is helpful sometimes to individuals.”
Wagner also serves as an elected officer for the Eastern District of Michigan chapter of the FBA.
“I very much care about our professional community,” she said. “Both sides learn a lot from each other. It’s invaluable and it creates good relationships.”
In addition, she is an active member of the Washtenaw County Bar Association.
“Their events are in my backyard and the community has been really supportive,”added Wagner.
In her spare time, Wagner loves to cook.
“It relaxes me,” she said. “My wife and I also love to play golf. Neither of us will win any trophies, but we belong to a league where we get to socialize on a weeknight.”
They also like to travel with their teardrop camper and go hiking and kayaking with their dog, Casper.
Wagner walks to work with Casper, who has gone from companion to colleague.
“He breaks the ice,” she said about her client meetings. “This person is coming to me on one of their worst days; they just lost their job or got kicked out of their housing. It’s a terrible time for them. Casper helps keep their blood pressure down.”
Legal News
The career path for Robin B. Wagner may not have been a straight one, but the civil rights attorney who recently introduced her own firm, Robin Wagner Law in Ann Arbor, seems to have finally found her calling.
In addition to her specialties that include employee discrimination, housing discrimination and various civil rights matters, Wagner also does some pro bono work for incarcerated individuals through the Eastern District of Michigan chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
Wagner, a Baltimore native, attended Princeton University as an undergraduate student where she majored in East Asian Studies. A Ph.D. in Medieval Chinese History from Harvard University would follow along with a change of heart.
“I realized I didn’t want a traditional academic career, so I went into the world outside academia and worked for a business consulting firm doing communications and writing,” she said.
Wagner did not care for that so much, but when a colleague left to head the Field Museum in Chicago, she followed to work in educational programs there for a few years.
Her next stint would be at the University of Chicago in the career services department where Wagner helped graduate students find jobs outside of academia. Then she went to an independent nonprofit that offered study abroad trips for college programs.
“I got to travel all over the world,” said Wagner. “It was a great experience, but I got promoted to a point where I didn’t like my job anymore.”
In 2000, Wagner was inspired by the LGBTQ rights that were happening in the courts, so she decided to leave her career and pursue law.
“I went to law school in my mid-40s,” she said. “My mother and father both went to law school. My mom practiced and both her parents went to law school as well.
It was a long time coming to follow into the family trade.”
Wagner graduated from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago.
“It really inspired me to make the world a better place,” she said.
When her wife, Sharon Haar, became a professor of architecture at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, they made the move to Michigan.
For nine years, Wagner worked at Pitt McGehee Palmer Bonanni & Rivers, a prominent civil rights firm in Royal Oak.
“I loved every minute of it, but at some point in the last year, I was ready to hang out my own shingle and be more of a citizen of Ann Arbor,” she said. “My center of gravity had always pulled me to Royal Oak.”
It seems she made the right decision.
“I have found, to my great pleasure and satisfaction, every day I wake up thinking about my clients’ cases and strategies,” added Wagner. “They inspire me to stand up for their rights when they’ve been violated and they’re willing to fight for that. Trying to fight for your rights can start to feel like you’ve done something wrong.”
One downside to being an attorney, she admitted, is the inherent conflict built into the profession.
“I try to balance that and not take it personally. The defense is doing their job, too. It can be a struggle when there is consistent conflict, but I want to help as many people as I can,” Wagner explained. “Being a lawyer is a helping profession, but it can be hard to meet someone and talk through what happened to them.
“You have to figure out if there is a case here or come to terms with what happened and move on. That in itself is helpful sometimes to individuals.”
Wagner also serves as an elected officer for the Eastern District of Michigan chapter of the FBA.
“I very much care about our professional community,” she said. “Both sides learn a lot from each other. It’s invaluable and it creates good relationships.”
In addition, she is an active member of the Washtenaw County Bar Association.
“Their events are in my backyard and the community has been really supportive,”added Wagner.
In her spare time, Wagner loves to cook.
“It relaxes me,” she said. “My wife and I also love to play golf. Neither of us will win any trophies, but we belong to a league where we get to socialize on a weeknight.”
They also like to travel with their teardrop camper and go hiking and kayaking with their dog, Casper.
Wagner walks to work with Casper, who has gone from companion to colleague.
“He breaks the ice,” she said about her client meetings. “This person is coming to me on one of their worst days; they just lost their job or got kicked out of their housing. It’s a terrible time for them. Casper helps keep their blood pressure down.”
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