Deborah started her legal career in 1984 for the Lord Chancellor’s Department in Birmingham.

She then moved to Devon with her family and continued her legal career at the Legal Services Department of a local authority.

In 2004 she qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives whilst working in Plymouth and then carried on with her studies at DeMontfort University in Leicester to qualify as a Solicitor. Deborah was admitted in 2021 as a Solicitor.

Deborah joined Harris Fowler as an Associate Solicitor and specialises in Clinical Negligence claims. She has a wealth of experience in representing clients in this complex field of law. Deborah also deals with Advocacy at Inquests for bereaved families. She acts with compassion and understanding towards the families at very difficult times. She is firm and effective when dealing with the Defendants solicitors.

Deborah always wanted to be a Solicitor from a very early age and is very proud to be the first member of her family to obtain a degree at a University and very proud to specialise in Clinical Negligence claims.

She finds that the most rewarding aspect of her job is helping families in bringing successful Clinical Negligence claims against a number of Defendant Hospital Trusts, GP’s and also doctors who practice privately. Deborah works hard for her clients to achieve a successful conclusion to a Clinical Negligence claim and obtain compensation. Deborah assists them throughout the whole process from initial instruction to settling the claim. Deborah shows great compassion and patience with families who are going through a very difficult and fraught time especially when they have lost a loved one.

In her spare time, Deborah belongs to a Scooter Club with vintage scooters. She also enjoys walking her 3 springer spaniels Harriet, Betty and Joshua.

Notable Cases

Representing a family of a 5 year old girl who died suddenly on a school playground. Of particular note in relation to this claim was the fact that the Senior Coroner for that area did not want to have an Inquest and did not consider an Inquest was necessary as he thought the child’s death was of natural causes. The family contacted the Home Secretary at the time who intervened but she wasn’t able to overturn the Senior Coroner’s decision. Deborah was instructed to deal with the claim and first of all the Inquest request Deborah was successful in making an application to the Senior Coroner of the particular Coroner’s Court involved successfully appealing his decision not to hold an Inquest and then carried on to deal with the preliminary Inquest review and the Inquest and a subsequent successful clinical negligence claim that followed.

Representing the family of an elderly gentleman who suffered a subdural haemorrhage that was not picked up on 2 occasions at a large Hospital on the south coast obtaining considerable compensation for his widow and providing Advocacy at the Preliminary Inquest Review and for Inquest prior to the clinical negligence claim.

Memberships

Deborah is now a Past President of the Isle of Wight Law Society and also a Senior Litigator for the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.