Deborah Keenum

Associate

Email: dkeenum@smithrose.com

Practice Areas: Civil Litigation and Family Law

Admitted: 1996, Texas

Law School: Texas Tech University School of Law 

College: Angelo State University

Member: Tom Green County Bar Association, State Bar of Texas with membership in the State Bar of Texas' Family Law, Healthcare, and Child Welfare sections.

Biography: Deborah Keenum came to San Angelo in 1977. She graduated from Central High School and Angelo State University, graduating from Texas Tech School of Law in 1996.

After law school, Deborah moved to Dallas and worked for two large downtown law firms. At both firms, she worked in their corporate and health law sections. She began her career in healthcare law when the FBI was just beginning to raid healthcare facilities for violations of Federal healthcare law. She represented numerous healthcare clients in corporate transactions to comply with Federal and state regulations. From small physician practices to hospital systems, Deborah provided a vast array of legal services with the overlay of healthcare complexity.

In 1999, Deborah was recruited by a Fortune 500 company. She became the in-house counsel and Chief Compliance Officer and had the opportunity to travel the United States representing the company on multiple matters including regulatory compliance, various mergers and acquisitions, contract matters, ongoing litigation and employment law.

In 2001, Deborah returned to San Angelo as the Chief Compliance Officer for Shannon Heath System. In 2007, she left Shannon to begin her own law practice where she was an ad litem for children in the FLDS matter. In private practice, Deborah represented family law clients, and parents and children involved with child protective services.

In 2009, Deborah left private practice to work for the State of Texas representing the Department of Family and Protective Services. Although she was a regional attorney located in Tom Green County, she represented the Department in district courts all across the State. In the Tom Green County office, she took the most complicated cases and represented the Department in jury trials. She obtained extensive trial experience through her 10 plus years of working with the State, including, but not limited to, multi-party litigation, discovery practice, depositions and jury trials.

Deborah has joined the firm and is looking forward to combining all of her vast experience to provide the best legal representation for her clients. She will be focusing on civil litigation and family law. Deborah is a member of the Tom Green County Bar Association and the State Bar of Texas with membership in the State Bar of Texas' Family Law, Healthcare, and Child Welfare sections.

When not working, Deborah enjoys animal rescue. She is a volunteer with a local animal rescue and often fosters puppies and kittens. She also practices Iyengar yoga and hopes one day to be assessed for her Level 1teacher certification. Each year she works with the Crist Company to produce the Mrs. Texas and Mrs. Oklahoma pageants. She also loves to read and cook.