Deborah is an experienced litigator with a record of vigorous advocacy on behalf of her clients. Most recently, Deborah spent six years at Brooklyn Defender Services, representing hundreds of clients in family court proceedings. She handled all stages of litigation, from inception through hearings, trials, and appeals, including numerous termination of parental rights cases, as well as custody disputes and orders of protection. Deborah regularly obtained successful outcomes at BDS, both at trial and outside of court. These victories include full dismissals, both on motions to dismiss and after trial, and favorable resolution of cases through mediation and negotiation. In addition to handling her own high-volume case load, Deborah was a supervisor in the Family Defense Practice, supervising trials and a team of staff attorneys. Deborah has conducted numerous trainings and CLEs for BDS, the New York State Defenders Association, and other organizations.

Prior to joining BDS, Deborah was in private practice for six years, first at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and then at Petrillo Klein & Boxer LLP, where she focused primarily on white collar defense, representing individuals investigated by state and federal regulatory agencies, and conducting internal investigations. Deborah worked on a range of matters, including the defense of a government contractor charged with state bribery offenses; an internal investigation for the board of a nonprofit human services organization; and representation of individuals under investigation by DOJ, SEC, and FINRA for, among other alleged offenses, securities fraud, wire fraud, tax fraud, and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Deborah also maintained a robust pro bono practice, working on cases involving diverse issues including immigrants’ rights, criminal justice, and family defense. 

Deborah graduated from New York University School of Law, where she was a member of the Federal Defender Clinic, representing indigent criminal defendants charged in the Eastern District of New York. She served as Senior Articles Editor on the N.Y.U. Review of Law and Social Change. After graduating, Deborah was a Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP Public Service fellow at the New Haven Legal Assistance Association, where she worked on education advocacy matters and criminal appeals.

Prior to law school, Deborah worked as a middle school teacher and Teach For America corps member in New Haven, CT. She graduated with distinction from Yale University with a B.A. in English and Art.

Deborah serves as a member of the advisory board of the Family Defense Practice of Brooklyn Defender Services. She has been a member of the Criminal Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association.