Deborah Dodge is a trial attorney who is passionate about representing patients and families who have been victims of poor medical treatment. They deserve a voice. And unfortunately, healthcare providers many times fail to advocate on behalf of their patients. Deborah finds it to be rewarding to be a patient advocate in times where doctors and nurses fail to do so. Patients and their families deserve medical care that meets or exceeds the requisite standard of care.
Aside from medical malpractice cases, Deborah regularly represents electric cooperatives in various matters and has an active trial practice in areas including personal injury, business and agricultural litigation. There are some occasions that litigants need representation beyond trial and at the appellate level. Ms. Dodge enjoys representing clients at the appellate level as it requires strong research and writing skills. Advocacy in writing is key.
Ms. Dodge is active within the legal community itself and strives to improve citizen access to the courts. She is currently serving on the Missouri Bar Foundation Board and the Judicial Performance Review Committee. She is a founding member of The Southern Missouri Women Lawyers Association and has recently served as President of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association.
Ms. Dodge has an AV Rating with Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating awarded by her peers for legal ability and ethical standards. She has also been designated as a “Super Lawyer” in the area of Personal Injury by Thomson-Reuters.
Debbie has made Hall Ansley her home since 1994. Prior to joining the firm, Deborah enjoyed the experience of working as a law clerk for The Honorable John E. Parrish at the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern Division.
Debbie is married and has two grown children. She is a devoted fan and previous board member of Barnabas Foundation which operates a unique camp focusing on the talents and gifts of children with physical and mental disabilities. Currently, she is serving on The Board of Trustees for Central Methodist University, a liberal arts school in the heart of Missouri.
Practice Areas
- Medical Malpractice
- Personal Injury/Wrongful Death
- Appellate Practice
- Agricultural Litigation
Bar Admissions
- Missouri, 1993
- Kansas, 1994
- U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri, 1993
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri, 2009
Education
- Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas
- Juris Doctorate
- Central Methodist College
- B.A., Bachelor of Arts
- Honors: cum laude
- Major: Communications
Honors
- The 2001 recipient of the David J. Dixon Appellate Advocacy Award
- Springfield Business Journal Most Influential Women of 2011
- Missouri Lawyers Weekly 2014 Women’s Justice Award as a Litigation Practitioner
Professional Associations
- Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, Member
- Missouri Bar Association, Member
- Contributing Author to Missouri Bar CLE Bulletin, Medical Negligence
- Missouri Rules of Civil Procedure- Rule Committee, Member
- Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, Member
- Greene County Judicial Evaluation Committee, Member
- Camp Barnabas, Member
- Barnabas Foundation, Board Member