Debra Soltis

Debra Soltis is a magna cum laude graduate of Georgetown Law where she was a member of the Law Review and of the National Trial Moot Court Team. Her primary practice areas are criminal defense and employment/civil rights. In her criminal defense practice, Debra has represented clients facing charges ranging from DWI to first degree murder and, to date, has secured acquittals at each of her criminal trials. She also has extensive experience on criminal appellate matters. In her employment practice, Debra’s clients have included victims of discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation and personal appearance. For her corporate clients, Debra lectures on the importance of developing effective anti-harassment policies and procedures, provides ongoing advice on employment matters and oversees internal investigations. Debra has been repeatedly recognized by Washingtonian Magazine as one of the best attorneys in Washington, D.C. in employment law and has been repeatedly honored as a SuperLawyer by her peers for her criminal practice. Debra is also the Executive Director of GirlsUP, Inc, a DC not-for-profit which inspires adolescent girls to figure out who they are before the world tells them who they should be. She is a sought out commentator on issues related to civil rights, criminal justice and the societal challenges faced by adolescent girls and has appeared on CBS Evening News, NPR, ESPN and numerous other media outlets. For over twenty years, she was on the adjunct faculty of Georgetown Law School, co-teaching a course of her own design on critical film theory with Paul Kiyonaga . Debra was formerly an associate at Williams & Connolly, LLP where she worked on a variety of civil and criminal matters for clients including Effi Barry, The Washington Post, Paramount Pictures, and Toyota. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Maryland.