About Kathryn Elizabeth
Kathryn Elizabeth Roberts built her legal life through steady work and courtroom hours. She took to law after a liberal arts education and has spent decades in the criminal justice system. Her path runs from small-town courtrooms to federal dockets.
She earned a B.A. in English and Political Science from Ithaca College in 1994. She then studied law at Villanova University School of Law, receiving her J.D. in 1998. Those years set the foundation for practice in both trial and appellate settings, and for a career that has involved both advocacy and close study of procedural rules.
Fresh out of law school she served as a judicial law clerk to the President Judge of Lehigh County in 1998. That early exposure to the judicial process shaped her view of litigation and case management. The clerkship offered a front-row seat to opinion writing, motion practice and the day-to-day rhythm of courthouse work. It also gave her a practical grounding that she took into later cases.
In 2006 she was appointed to the Criminal Justice Act Panel in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The CJA role placed her on the roster of attorneys eligible to represent indigent defendants in federal criminal matters. She has handled serious criminal charges and has participated in federal proceedings that required familiarity with both trial tactics and appellate preservation.
Her credentials include the qualification to handle death penalty and capital cases in Pennsylvania. She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and admitted to appear before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. Those admissions reflect work in both trial courts and appellate forums, where briefing and oral argument carry different demands.
Today she practices from the Law Office of Kathryn Roberts. Her work continues to center on criminal defense and appellate representation. She handles federal and state matters, including cases that raise capital sentencing issues, and represents clients at trial and on appeal in courts across the relevant jurisdictions.
Her practice remains courtroom-oriented, combining direct client representation at trial with written advocacy on appeal. She currently represents clients in criminal cases, including capital matters, and handles appeals in federal and state courts.
