Roberta Kaplan. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM

Roberta Kaplan received the New York State Bar Association's highest honor, the Gold Medal award, on Jan. 27 during the association's annual meeting in New York City.

Kaplan represented Edith Windsor before the U.S. Supreme Court in United States v. Windsor (2013), which held that the Defense of Marriage Act violated the Constitution by barring the federal government from recognizing legal same-sex marriages.

“Robbie's life has not been the same since U.S. v. Windsor, but this outcome builds on an extraordinary career by an extraordinary individual,” said State Bar Association president Sharon Stern Gerstman.

Last year, Kaplan founded Kaplan & Company, which handles high-stakes commercial litigation. The firm represents clients including T-Mobile and Airbnb.