Portia Roberson received her bachelor degree in English from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and her Juris Doctor from Wayne State University. After graduation, Ms. Roberson went into private practice specializing in criminal and civil matters.

In 2002, she joined the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office as an Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor. She began as a trial courtroom prosecutor and also served as principal in the community prosecution unit. In that unit, she worked with various law enforcement agencies to gather information and prosecute cases involving violent, narcotic traffickers. In 2004, Ms. Roberson became Associate General Counsel at the Detroit Medical Center. As counsel for the Hospital system, she worked on a variety of matters including real estate, arbitrations and physician contracts.

In 2009, Ms. Roberson was appointed to serve as the Director of the Office of Intergovernmental and Public Liaison for the US Department of Justice.

The Office of Intergovernmental and Public Liaison serves as the coordinating center of all Department activities related to state and local government and law enforcement officials, and outside organizations. OIPL also ensures that the state and local perspective is taken into account as DOJ policies and programs are discussed and implemented. The office also serves as the liaison between the Department of Justice and other cabinets within the administration.