Giffords & Giffords Law Center Thank Robyn Thomas for 16 Years of Service in Preventing Gun Violence

• June 3, 2022

Washington DC—Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, announced today that Giffords Law Center executive director Robyn Thomas is leaving her role after 16 years of dedicated service and historic impact. Robyn has been an indispensable leader in the gun violence prevention space, in the broader legal community, and at Giffords Law Center, and she leaves indelible fingerprints on a movement that has seen transformational growth during her leadership in it.

“Robyn was one of the first people I talked to when I decided to launch Giffords and dedicate myself to stopping gun violence. I learned so much from her regarding the problem of gun violence and solutions to it. She gave me hope that our advocacy would have success and confidence that we can save thousands of lives by passing safer gun laws. Robyn has been a critical voice and source of expertise for many others as well. As a witness before Congress and state legislatures, she has provided influential testimony in moments of historic importance. As a voice in the press and with crowds, she has communicated with passion and persuasion. She leaves an impressive legacy—we never meet the people whose lives we saved by the laws we passed, but Robyn can enter the next phase of her impactful career knowing she is a life saver. I’m grateful for her service and wish her the best.”

“In my many years as a litigator, I have rarely encountered an attorney with more conviction, vision, and deep knowledge of her field than Robyn Thomas. I am inspired by her talent as a leader, an advocate, and an attorney. For 16 years, in the face of daunting odds and fierce opposition, Robyn has fought to make America a safer place. Giffords Law Center has greatly benefited from her tenure and will continue as a leader in the fight to end gun violence thanks to her many years of dedication and hard work.”

Robyn Thomas joined the then-named Legal Community Against Violence (later Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, or Law Center) as its executive director in 2006. Her willingness to think outside the box helped the organization become an innovative leader in the field. In 2014, under her leadership, the Law Center launched an initiative supporting the lifesaving work of community violence intervention and prevention organizations. In 2015, she built the FACT coalition of private law firms, an effort to bring affirmative litigation cases in the gun violence prevention space. This was the first coalition of its kind and has led to numerous affirmative lawsuits across the country.

Robyn is a leading authority on America’s gun laws and frequently appeared as a trusted contributor in print and on-camera interviews for outlets such as 60 Minutes, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, PBS NewsHour, NBC, Fox News, and more. Robyn led the organization to the forefront of Second Amendment work, filing dozens of amicus briefs across the country every year, hosting a well-respected annual conference, and litigating extensively at the Supreme Court level.

Under Robyn’s leadership, the legislative work of the organization also expanded dramatically, now reaching into more than 40 states. Those efforts led to the passage of nearly 500 state laws over the last 10 years, including Prop 63 in California, which the Law Center co-sponsored with Governor Gavin Newsom, making California the nation’s leader and standard-bearer for effective gun safety regulation. 

Always a powerful and persuasive speaker on behalf of the GVP movement, Robyn has testified repeatedly before Congress, and spoken at countless public events. The importance of her ability to distill the issues and convey the facts with clarity and poise has helped the nation understand the complexities of this pressing national crisis.

Robyn’s 16 years of service helped the Law Center grow into the strong organization it is today and she is leaving an enduring legacy of activism and dedication to preventing gun violence.