Deb was raised in Gerringong and attended Gerringong Public School and Kiama High School before completing a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts in 1997 at the University of Wollongong (UOW).
After graduating, Deb worked for UOW as both an academic and an in-house lawyer. During her tenure as an academic at UOW, Deb conducted research and lectured in many areas of Llaw including Business and Commercial Law; Property Law; Contract Law; and Legal Ethics. Working as an academic allowed Deb to remain at the forefront of legal change.
During her time as an academic Deb was awarded a prestigious Vice Chancellors OCTAL award for her contribution to teaching and learning. Deb also received a UOW Community Engagement Grant to partner with the Illawarra Legal Centre (ILC) to conduct research into the impact of fines on youth. This research led to the production of facts sheets for the ILC and a submission to the Law Reform Commission NSW. In her capacity as a member of the Faculty of Law, Deb became a member of the Management Committee of the ILC to build a relationship between UOW and the ILC. Deb acted as the Treasurer of the ILC until November 2011. Deb has also been a professional mentor to the iAccelerate StartPad incubator where she has provided pro-bono legal advice on several issues.
As an in-house solicitor at UOW, Deb developed her expertise in Commercial Law and Intellectual Property Law. Previous experience in the Innovation and Commercial Research Unit at UOW provided Deb with a strong insight into contract negotiation and commercialisation. Her high-level conceptual understanding of how contracts operate, as well as her attention to detail, provides Deb with an excellent capacity for providing assistance in many areas of law including Property Law, Commercial Law, Wills and Estates, Probate, Intellectual Property, Conveyancing and more.
Deb has completed a Masters of Applied Law in Wills and Estates Planning at the College of Law in Sydney. This has provided Deb with exceptional skills in relation to wills, inter vivos planning and elder law. Deb has developed a strong ability in preparing complex wills, and understanding how to ensure your estate is distributed the way you want.
Deb’s experience extends past her legal expertise with 3 successful restaurants forming part of her portfolio over the past 20 years. She has also partly completed a Master of Strategic Management at UOW. Through her experience as a company Director, Deb has developed a strong understanding of business process including strategic management; change management; human resource management; marketing; and WH&S. Her ability to view these processes from both a legal and business perspective provides Deb with the capability your business needs.
Outside of being a Director and solicitor at Carter Ferguson, Deb has strong ties with the local community and volunteers on local committees and boards in and around the Illawarra and Shoalhaven area. Deb was the President of the Shoalhaven Business Chamber for 2017 and 2018
