Debra M. Salisbury

Debra M. Salisbury

4.7
Rating: 9.9

Licensed for 32 years

Child abuse Lawyer at Sarasota, FL
Practice Areas: Child Abuse, Adoption, Child Custody

3293 Fruitville Road, Unit 101, Sarasota, FL

About Debra

Biography

Practice Areas

3

Practice Areas

Child Abuse 50%

Dependency law

33 years

50%
Adoption 30%

33 years

30%
Child Custody 20%

33 years

20%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer


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Licenses

Licensed in Florida for 32 years

State: Florida

Acquired: 1993

Member in Good Standing

No misconduct found

Location

Law Offices of Debra M. Salisbury

3293 Fruitville Road, Unit 101, Sarasota, FL, 34237-6453

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Debra M. Salisbury's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.7 /5.0

37 Client Reviews

Showing 6 - 10 of 37 reviews

Posted by anonymous | October 15, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Adoption

Adoption

I greatly appreciated Attorney Salisbury's clear and helpful advice before we went before an adoption review committee. She was also very helpful and prepared when it came time to adopt our child. She prepared us ahead of time with the questions that were going to be asked and was very kind. I highly... recommend Attorney Salisbury.

Posted by David | September 15, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Adoption

Absolute best

Debbie helped us through a very difficult situation with our adopted daughter and could not have been more supportive and qualified in getting us the best outcome possible. I would recommend her to anyone in need.

Posted by Stephen | August 27, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Child visitation

Debra provided us excellent advice. She is a pit bull For her clients. She was with us each step of our attempts to get visitation with our grandson.

Posted by Jamie | August 28, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

There is no one better!

Debra represented my son in a very complicated and messy case. She was forthright from the beginning and gave us a very clear picture of what we were up against and what we could expect. She was able to cut through all the dirt and formulate a clean defense. She gave us great advice, and was very ...compassionate; truly wanting the best for our family. Debra is a fierce opponent and very passionate about doing what is right. She represented us with focused integrity. I felt she was totally in our corner and am grateful that she was able to give my son a voice when no one else was willing to listen. She is well versed, totally prepared, respected and a formidable opponent in the courtroom. She was able to get our case dismissed and we are truly grateful. When your life and your family is on the line, don't try to go it alone. You absolutely NEED someone with Debra's caliber to be your advocate.

Posted by anonymous | May 22, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Former Client

I hired Debra Salisbury in a recent reopened child custody case. We were granted everything I had asked for in court plus a reimbursement for her attorney fees, which is more than I could have hoped for. She is pricey but worth every penny and she did not retain me until it was clear that we had enou...gh evidence to go to court. I wished I would have had her for my divorce proceedings as my ex probably would not have gotten away with as much as he did. She was prepared to a T, asked the right questions in court and would also contact me after hours on weekend days when it was needed. She is a perfectionist, upfront, and did not waste my time and money.

See All Client Reviews

Debra M. Salisbury's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Debra
Amiee Ruth Buckman headshot
Amiee Buckman

Divorce and separation lawyer | Nov 16

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I've had the pleasure of knowing Debra Salisbury for quite some time and always found her to be a consummate professional and zealous advocate for her clients. I wholeheartedly endorse Debra."

Gerald F. O'Brien headshot
Gerald O'Brien

Divorce and separation lawyer | Jul 26

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Debra Salisbury is an intelligent, skilled, and zealous advocate for her clients. I have known Debra for more than 20 years and endorse her without hesitation."

Angela Davis Tobaygo headshot
Angela Tobaygo

Divorce and separation lawyer | Jul 08

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"Attorney Salisbury and I have been opponents on a number of dissolution of marriage cases. She is an excellent advocate for her clients and though we have litigated cases, we have also successfully reached resolutions through mediation or settlement conferences. Ms. Salisbury is an experienced attorney who is very organized. Her incredible attention to detail and skills are assets to her clients."

Mark Rein Zimmerman headshot
Mark Zimmerman

Family lawyer | Jun 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have known Ms. Salisbury for many years and consider her to be a foremost authority on local matters related to various aspects of family law. Whether it be for a divorce, custody matter or an adoption, I highly recommend this fine lawyer."

Charles Michael Kelly headshot
Charles Kelly

Family lawyer | May 14

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"It has been my pleasure to work with and learn from the experience of working with Debra Sailsbury. No one works harder for her clients than Ms. Salisbury. She always sees to her client's needs and serves their best interests throughout her representation. I endorse this lawyer."

Dana M Moss headshot
Dana Moss

Family lawyer | Apr 29

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I whole heartedly endorse Debra. She is very knowledgeable in family law matters and always prepared. If you are looking for a lawyer who knows the law, is aggressive in the courtroom, returns phones calls and stays on top of her caseload, call Debra Salisbury. You won't be disappointed."

Kurt Eugene Lee headshot
Kurt Lee

Family lawyer | Feb 28

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Debra Salisbury is a great family law attorney because she works hard and is a persuasive communicator. I have seen Debra in action and been impressed by her research, memos, and witness files. It is no surprise why Debra gets good results for her clients: Debra does all the work beforehand and wins her hearings before she walks into the courtroom."

View All Endorsements
Jaime Julian Garcia III headshot
Jaime Garcia

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Jay Seigel

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Allan Baily

Family lawyer

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Phillip Harward

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Angela Davis Tobaygo headshot
Angela Tobaygo

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Steven Johnson

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Mark Zimmerman

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Charles Michael Kelly headshot
Charles Kelly

Child abuse lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.9 (Superb)

Honors

2018

Board Certified Specialist in Juvenile Law, The Florida Bar

2012

Gold Level Pro Bono Award, Legal Aid of Manasota

2007

Bronze Level Pro Bono Award, Legal Aid of Manasota

Work Experience

1995 - Present

Attorney, Law Office of Debra M. Salisbury, P.A.

Associations

State of Florida Board of Nursing

Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner

2008 - 2013

Sarasota Florida Association For Women Lawyers

Board of Directors

2005 - 2013

Florida Adoption Council

Member

1999 - 2000

Sarasota Florida Association For Women Lawyers

President

1995 - 2000

Sarasota Florida Association For Women Lawyers

Board of Directors

1993 - 2013

Sarasota County Bar Association

Member

Sample of Legal Cases

W.S. v. Dep't of Children and Family Servs.

The case was reversed and remanded to the trial court for further proceedings.

See More Legal Cases

Education

1992

Stetson University College of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1983

University of Florida College of Nursing

MS - Master of Science

1980

Salve Regina University

BS - Bachelor of Science

Speaking Engagements

2018

2018 Disabilities Training Conference

Advocating For Families of Children With Complex Medical Issues When Medical Child Abuse Accusations are Made

2014

2014 Child Protection Summit

Thinking Outside the Box

2013

2013 Child Protection Summit

Covering the Bases – Having What you Need for Trial at Your Fingertips

Publications

2011

The Docket Practice Tips For Defense Counsel In Dependency Land, Part 1

2011

The Docket Practice Tips For Defense Counsel In Dependency Land, Part 2

1986

Journal of Psychosocial Nursing AIDS: Psychosocial Implications

Languages

English

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution