dcollins@silvermanandassociatesny.com

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Deanna’s practice focuses on the defense of school districts and municipalities in both New York State and Federal courts. She has extensive experience litigating civil rights and employment discrimination claims from inception to trial. Prior to joining Silverman & Associates in 2021, Deanna served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Litigation Bureau of the New York State Attorney General’s Office. There, Deanna’s practice focused on the defense of the State of New York, State agencies and departments, and State employees in civil litigations primarily concerning law enforcement matters. She has successfully defended her clients against claims of equal protection and due process violations, retaliation, excessive force, deliberate indifference to medical needs, false arrest, malicious prosecution, abuse of process, wrongful termination, employment discrimination based on race, age, gender, and pregnancy, and emergency applications for preliminary injunctions, among others. Deanna handles all phases of litigation, including discovery, dispositive motion practice, trial preparation, trial, appeal, and mediation and settlement.
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Deanna received her Bachelor’s of Arts degree from Union College in Schenectady, New York, and graduated magna cum laude with her major in Political Science and minor in Women’s Studies. She received her Juris Doctorate from Pace Law School, where she graduated Valedictorian, summa cum laude, in 2010. During law school she served as the Executive Productions Editor of the Pace Law Review and Treasurer of the Student Bar Association, and interned with the United States Attorney’s Office, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, New York City Commission for the United Nations, and in the Chambers of the Honorable Kenneth M. Karas, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York. Following law school, Deanna served for many years as a law clerk to the Honorable Paul E. Davison, United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of New York. Deanna is admitted to practice in New York State, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

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Bar Admission

• New York, 2011
• Southern District of New York, 2015
  
• Eastern District of New York, 2018
  
• 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, 2021
  

Education

• B.A., Union College, 2003, magna cum laude
  
• J.D., Pace University, 2010, summa cum laude