Deborah Rolfe AM, BEc, LLB (Hons)

Deborah has degrees in Law (Honours) and Economics from the Australian National University and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in the ACT in February 1986.  She commenced practice in Sydney with Baker & McKenzie in the corporate, securities and trade law field, returning to Canberra in 1988 when she married, working with Dawson & Waldron in the general commercial, finance and corporate fields. 

Following time off work to have children, Deborah returned to practice with Maliganis Edwards Johnson in 1996, originally in commercial law.  Since 2000, Deborah has practised in the personal injury litigation field and was appointed a Partner in October 2007.

Deborah is a past member of the ACT Society for the Physically Handicapped Committee, the MBF Council of Members and the ACT Heart Foundation, Go Red for Women Steering Committee, and from 2014 to 2019 was Ambassador for the IGA East Row House – an initiative of the IGA Rooftop Foundation and is raising funds to minimise financial hardship by providing quality, affordable or free accommodation to families visiting the national capital seeking medical treatment for a family member.. 

In 2011 she became a founding member of the Canberra Hospital Foundation and was appointed Chair of the Foundation in that same year.  The Foundation raises funds for services, equipment, facilities and research promoting the health and wellbeing of residents and the surrounding region.  One hundred percent of all funds raised by the Foundation stay within Canberra to support the local community.

Deborah is a passionate supporter of Canberra, having spent most of her life here – her vision is that all residents of the ACT and surrounding regions have access to world class healthcare and facilities.

In June 2016 Deborah was appointed Ambassador for the Early Morning Centre which provides breakfast for the homeless and disadvantaged in Canberra from Monday through to Friday mornings. On average the EMC provides breakfast for around 50 each morning, in addition to providing medical, legal and counselling services.

In 2017, Deborah was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia for her charitable and philanthropic work.