A family law thought leader, entrepreneur, mediator, and attorney with a passion for empowerment and gender equality, Debra has been practicing law for more than 20 years, delivering focused solutions guided by compassion and trust. For the first half of her legal career, Debra was a special victims prosecutor, pursuing justice for crime victims, particularly women and children. She was the first female Assistant District Attorney serving Essex County and is a recognized expert in the fields of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. This passion for helping families led Debra to family law, and to pursue collaborative divorce and mediation. Today, Debra works hands-on with her clients to learn their short-term objectives and long-range goals. Through this, she develops tailored options and explores how/if those options align with the client's values, budget, risk tolerance, etc. She then co-produces strategies with her clients that will offer the best chance for advancing the client's objectives/goals. Debra believes that there may be many paths to get you to where you want to be and advises clients to choose a path that aligns with their values. Through Mediated Online Solutions, she puts her passion for peaceful dispute resolution to work for couples who seek a dignified and self-directed way to separate, divorce, or co-parent. That same spirit guides Whitson Law's commitment to fighting for social justice and human rights by focusing the firm’s practice on domestic violence, matrimonial, and family law. Debra’s driving goal is to let her clients feel heard, cared for, and respected, and get as many people as possible to resolve conflicts in peaceful, respectful ways—in all spheres. Awards: Debra is a two-time recipient of the Excellence in Domestic Violence Awareness and Advocacy Award from the Essex County New York Multidisciplinary Task Force Against Domestic Violence, and she has been recognized for excellence in appellate advocacy from the Association of Government Attorneys in Capital Litigation. In her spare time, Debra works with Zonta International to improve the lives of women and girls in her local community and around the globe. She loves travel, good food and wine, tennis, and spending time with her husband and children enjoying all of the outdoor activities available in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State where they make their home.
If you have a child with special needs, there may be tax implications and government benefits available. It is important to consider these so that your child’s needs can be met without jeopardizing the child’s eligibility for government benefits.