Helping Businesses Succeed for Over a Century
Many generations of Robinson attorneys have guided entrepreneurs through pivotal moments in history, from the dawn of telecommunications to today's AI revolution.
Built on Innovation
In the early 1900s, a revolutionary technology called the telephone was transforming how people communicated. Combined with breakthroughs in railroads, automobiles, medicine, and natural resource processing, it created unprecedented market opportunities across the globe.
Zeno Henninger recognized this moment. He laid the cables that would carry telephone signals, and later countless other technologies, as this wave of progress continued. Those cables became Butler, Pennsylvania's first telephone company.
As American business evolved from local operations to multinational enterprises, Zeno sold the telephone company and focused on his law practice: Henninger P.C., a Pennsylvania law firm built to serve businesses in the area.
A Legacy of Service
John Henninger, Zeno's son, joined the firm after law school and expanded its reach. He later served as a judge in Butler County, continuing the family's commitment to justice.
When Zeno's daughter Joan married attorney William Robinson, another Butler native, the firm evolved into Henninger and Robinson P.C. William defended a broad range of companies with particular expertise in insurance law, serving clients until his passing in 2008.
His son, William Robinson Jr., practiced at the firm for over thirty years. Today, he serves as a Judge overseeing the Family Division in Butler County Courthouse. He represents the fourth generation of the family dedicated to the law.
The Next Chapter
Lex Mercatoria
“The Law of the Merchants”
Berkeley Robinson has expanded the firm to serve business leaders across the world. A lifelong entrepreneur himself, Berkeley is modernizing commercial law by returning to the core principles of Lex Mercatoria. This ancient merchant law prioritized practicality, simplicity, and efficiency in business.
New technologies have enabled every industry to evolve into stronger, more efficient forms. Yet legal services have largely remained behind, burdened by complexity and tradition that no longer serves clients' interests.
Not anymore.
We believe that ambitious entrepreneurs deserve legal counsel that moves at the speed of business. Whether you're launching a startup, scaling operations, or planning an exit, our team is built to help you capitalize on high-leverage opportunities and achieve your maximum potential.
A Family Namesake
Judge Berkeley “Bud” Lent
1921 – 2007
While not a part of the Butler firm, Judge Berkeley Lent was a distinguished American politician and jurist who served on the Oregon Supreme Court. He is Berkeley Robinson's grandfather and namesake.
Elected to the court in 1976, he served until 1988, including a term as Chief Justice from 1982 to 1983. Prior to taking the bench, Lent served in both branches of the Oregon Legislature, including time as Senate Majority Leader.
His dedication to public service and the law continues to inspire the family's commitment to justice and excellence.