Deborah Tharnish

Practice Areas

Deb is a highly-regarded Iowa litigator with a practice focused on commercial litigation and employment law. She is known for her non-confrontational but direct style, her common sense, and her status as a trailblazer for female attorneys.

Deb’s role at Dentons Davis Brown is storied - she was the first female large law firm president in the state of Iowa (serving in 1998 and 1999), an early female litigator in the state, served in multiple leadership positions, and helped establish the Firm’s maternity leave policy, becoming the first major law firm in Iowa to have one.

Her litigation practice spans over 40 years, serving companies in the insurance, healthcare, and manufacturing industries as well as municipalities. Clients have said, “she is the complete package, possessing both strong litigation and counseling skills.” Deb regularly helps companies and employers with:

Contract and business tort cases

Real estate assessment appeals

Defending all types of discrimination claims, wrongful termination claims, and restrictive covenant cases