Deborah A. Elman

When asked why she became a trial attorney, Deborah Elman says, “I think the law is one of the most powerful tools to combat injustice. . . I think the courts, and access to justice, are the most powerful tools for everyone, especially the little guy.”

Deborah is a Partner at Garwin Gerstein & Fisher, where she concentrates her practice in antitrust and securities litigation, with a focus on the pharmaceutical and financial services industries. Prior to joining Garwin Gerstein & Fisher, she was a Principal at Grant & Eisenhofer, and she was an associate at a leading New York law firm where she worked on securities and criminal matters, and led the trial team that helped a Somalian asylum-seeker prevail on a challenged application. One of the most personally significant cases Deborah worked on was a death penalty case, in which her firm was able to vacate its client’s sentence to death after serving 30 years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit: “Getting that case heard and contributing to the reversal of the death penalty decision is something I’m definitely proud of,” she says.

Currently she is passionate about her litigation work on pharmaceuticals and healthcare — a timely topic, as profit-driven corporations continue to restrict patients’ access to lifesaving drugs and devices. Deborah has a Master’s in Public Health from Columbia University, and is pleased to bring her backgrounds in public health and law together in these and other efforts.

Deborah is glad to be involved in Public Justice because, she says, Public Justice has an impressive level of commitment and skill as well as “an ability to galvanize like-minded people to work together.” She is proud to contribute to our common goals in any way she can, including participating in Public Justice Committees.

When asked what she hopes to say she’s accomplished at the end of her career, Deborah says, “I’d like to be able to say that I fought the good fight . . . To have helped fulfill this country’s promise of equal justice for those who need it most.” When she’s not accomplishing her career goals, Deborah enjoys reading, watching movies, and being with her family and dogs.