Deborah Ausburn focuses on advising and defending youth-serving organizations. Named as a Best Lawyer in Atlanta in 2024, she has spent more than 30 years as a social worker, foster parent, criminal prosecutor, and civil trial attorney. Her experience includes successful cases before the United States Supreme Court in constitutional claims, extensive work in free speech and religious freedom issues, and dozens of successful jury trials. That experience has given her a national presence with organizations that serve young people.

Ms. Ausburn’s background has given her unique insights into defending childcare centers, camps, schools, and mentoring organizations. She has served as a foster parent, and volunteered with and defended youth-serving organizations throughout the United States in matters as diverse as personal injury cases, intrusive government regulations, libel and slander issues, and claims of sexual abuse. She has conducted numerous investigations of claims of historic child abuse and sexual assault or harassment claims. She also advises youth-serving organizations about child protection policies, staff screening, conduct standards, cyberbullying, and best practices for protecting the children in their care.

Ms. Ausburn served as a federal prosecutor in Western North Carolina, prosecuting cases of sexual assault, child abuse, and drug trafficking. She has worked with non-profit legal foundations defending free speech, religious liberties, and property rights in various federal courts.

Ms. Ausburn is the author of two books.  Raising Other People’s Children: What Foster Parenting Taught Me about Bringing Together a Blended Family recounts the lessons she learned from her foster and stepchildren.  She and her CABK partner, Thomas C. Rawlings, are co-authors of the recent book, Protecting Other People’s Children: 120 Days to Create a Strong Child Safety Policy, outlining how youth organizations can create robust child protection policies and make them part of the organization’s culture.

Selected Representations

• Lead counsel in Solis v. Laurelbrook Sanitarium and School, Inc., Case 09-6128 (6th Cir., April 28, 2011), successfully defending private vocational school against Department of Labor’s attempt to apply workplace regulations

• Successful argument before the United States Supreme Court in Northeastern Florida Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America v. City of Jacksonville, 508 U.S. 656 (1993)

• Assisted Centers for Disease Control in preparation of 2007 publication, Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Within Youth-Serving Organizations: Getting Started on Policies and Procedures

• Appointed by Governor Perdue to Board of Georgia Department Human Resources, 2005-2007

• Lead federal prosecutor in numerous jury trials of rape and child sexual abuse cases from Cherokee Indian Reservation in western North Carolina, along with federal pornography and sex trafficking cases, 1992-1999

Memberships

• State Bar of Georgia
• State Bar of North Carolina
• Federalist Society
• American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC)
• American Camping Association

Accolades

• Best Lawyers in Atlanta, 2024
• American Camp Association Southeastern Community Service Award, 2015
• Prevent Child Abuse Georgia, Distinguished Volunteer Award, 2007

Education

• University of Georgia School of Law, JD, magna cum laude, 1986
• Georgia Law Review, Symposium Editor, 1985-1986; Editorial Board, 1984-1985
• Order of the Coif
• Order of Barristers

Clerkship

• Clerk, Hon. J.L. Edmondson, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, 1986-1987

Community Involvement

• Boy Scouts of America, Atlanta Area Council, Youth Protection Advisory Committee, 2012-present
• Board of Directors, Cherokee Child Advocacy Council, 2008-2019
• Board of Directors, Hillside, Inc., 2012-2018
• Prevent Child Abuse Georgia, Inc.

  • Board of Directors 2003-2005

  • Advisory Board 2012-2014

• Georgia Department of Human Resources, Board Member 2005-2007
• Caring for Children, Asheville, NC

  • Foster Parent, 1995-1999

  • Board Member, 1998-1999