Judge Robart became a United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington in June 2004. Prior to his appointment he was with Lane Powell in Seattle for 32 years where he served as Chair of the Litigation Department and Managing Partner. He graduated from Whitman College (B.A. 1969) and Georgetown University Law Center (J.D. 1973).

Judge Robart has presided over several notable civil and criminal cases. His opinion in Simmonds v. Credit Suisse, construing the statute of limitations for Section 16(b) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, was reversed by the Ninth Circuit, but adopted by the United States Supreme Court in an 8-0 opinion. He is the judge in United States v. City of Seattle, overseeing a consent decree involving an overhaul of Seattle Police Department practices and procedures. He also authored Microsoft Corp. v. Motorola, Inc., which is the first court opinion in the United States setting reasonable and nondiscriminatory (“RAND”) rates for standard essential patents.

Judge Robart served on the Organizing Committee and the Board of Governors for the Federal

Circuit Bar Association and is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.