Robin J. Stinson Received Distinguished Service Award

The John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award was presented to Robin J. Stinson on April 10, 2023, at a meeting of the Forsyth County Bar Association in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. North Carolina State Bar President Marcia Armstrong presented the award.

Robin J. Stinson was born and raised in Winston-Salem. She received her undergraduate degree from Duke University in 1981, graduating cum laude. In 1984 she earned her law degree from UNC-Chapel Hill where she was a member of the Holderness Moot Court Bench. Ms. Stinson practiced in Winston-Salem and surrounding counties for more than 37 years, having practiced at several family law firms before joining Bell, Davis & Pitt to start its family law practice in 1997. Ms. Stinson focuses her practice in all areas of family law and dispute resolution, including complex marital estates and financial issues in equitable distribution, alimony, and child support cases.

Ms. Stinson has been a leader in the family law community for decades. She has been certified as a family law specialist by the North Carolina State Bar since 1991, and is a fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. She is certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission as a mediator for superior court and for family financial mediations, and is certified as an arbitrator by the Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Ms. Stinson previously served as president of the North Carolina chapter of the Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

She is well known for her many manuscripts and speaking engagements. She has devoted decades of her life and her career to strengthening the legal education of lawyers beginning their family law practice. She has a legacy of educating young lawyers to practice law with exceptional legal knowledge and high ethical standards.

Ms. Stinson is a past-president of the Forsyth County Bar Association and past-chair of the 21^st Judicial District Bar Ethics and Grievance Committee. She has served in numerous positions with the North Carolina Bar Association and Bar Foundation, including as chair of the Endowment Committee; Bar Foundation director; member of the Development Committee; member of the Personnel Committee; member of the Board of Governors; Family Law Section chair; and forum editor. Ms. Stinson is a past-chair of The Children’s Law Center of Northwest North Carolina; past board member for the Legal Aid Society of Northwest North Carolina; and member and past board member of Directors for Northwest Child Development Council, Inc.

Ms. Stinson was in the inaugural class of Women of Justice, presented by NC Lawyers Weekly, and received the James E. Cross Jr. Leadership Award presented by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. She has also received the YWCA Women of Vision Leadership Award.

Robin J. Stinson has served the legal community and the public in such a way as to make the practice of family law reach the highest ethical standard.