CCJ Directory

Roberts is an attorney and former executive director of the National Basketball Players Association. She was the first woman to hold that position and the first woman to head a major professional sports union in North America. Roberts began her career in 1980 at Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. She served in that role for eight years, rising to the chief of the trial division. She was mentored by attorney Charles Ogletree. She built her reputation as a trial lawyer. She worked for Akin Gump from 2004 to 2011. In 2011 she was hired by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Roberts was named executive director of the National Basketball Players Association in July 2014. In 2014 she was named one of ESPNW’s Impact 25.

Roberts is an adjunct faculty member at Harvard Law School and a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Roberts retired as the NBPA executive director in January of 2022.