Merced County
Biographies
C. RAY ROBINSON
C. Ray Robinson, attorney, was born in Merced, California, on January 28, 1904, the son of J. A. and May (Kelly) Robinson.
He obtained his preparatory education at the University of California, Berkeley, receiving the B.A. degree in 1926, and also an honorary degree in political science. Received the J.D. degree (Doctor’s Thesis on Foreign Waters) in 1929 from Boalt Hall, University of California, and admitted to practice in the same year; admitted to practice before the California Supreme Court, United States Supreme Court, all Federal Courts in California, Federal District Court of New York, California and New York Federal Communications Commissions, Tax Court of the United States, and Treasury Department of United States.
From 1931 to 1933, Mr. Robinson was a member of the Assembly, California State Legislature, representing Merced, Madera and Mariposa Counties, and was Floor Leader in 1933, retiring to practice law; served as alternate delegate at large, from California State, on Warren Delegation to Philadelphia, 1948.
Mr. Robinson was Lieutenant Commander U.S. Naval Reserve, 1940-1944, and served as legal officer on the Staff of Admiral Halsey in the South Pacific for fourteen months; awarded the Bronze Star by Admiral Halsey and a second Bronze Star by Secretary of Navy Forrestal. After the war he built up his law office to where it is probably the largest outside of San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. He now has twelve associates, with offices in Merced and Auburn, California.
Mr. Robinson represents the Central California Mutual Water District and the Central California Irrigation District; has represented the Merced Irrigation District, and the Southern Pacific Company, since 1935; also has served as City Attorney of Atwater since 1935. He has handled litigation in forty-four counties in California; personally tried over one thousand cases, personally handled over two hundred appeals to Appellate and Supreme Courts; acted as one of four attorneys selected to conduct “Trial Tactics Panel” in Los Angeles at the State Bar Convention in 1950, before some three thousand attorneys. He is president of the American College of Trial Lawyers; and is a member of the California Club, Los Angeles, the Commonwealth Club, San Francisco, the Sutter Club, Sacramento, and the Pebble Beach Club.
Mr. Robinson has extensive ranch, cattle and oil interests, and has traveled practically all parts of the world. He is an enthusiastic duck hunter and fisherman.
Transcribed 8-3-13 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Eminent
Californians 1953, by Lee E. Johnson & C. W. Taylor. Pages 49-50, C. W. Taylor Publ.,
Palo Alto, California, 1953.
© 2013 Marilyn R. Pankey.