About Debra G
Debra G Simms combines legal training and social work education in a career centered on elder law and family mediation. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University, a master’s in social work from Case Western Reserve University, and a J.D. from Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. That mix of disciplines informs how she approaches cases and client needs.
Her professional credentials include board certification in elder law from the Florida State Bar. She is also a certified mediator for family law and a certified civil circuit mediator, both under the Florida Supreme Court. Those certifications allow her to handle contested matters at the negotiation table as well as in formal proceedings.
Simms is licensed to practice in both Florida and Ohio. She maintains memberships in several professional organizations that reflect her practice interests. She serves on the Volusia County Bar Association and has chaired its Elder Law Committee. She is also a member of the Orange County Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and the Florida Association of Elder Law Attorneys.
Her background in social work shows up in the practical aspects of her work. She has experience assessing capacity issues, coordinating care planning, and advising families on long-term care planning. She works on matters that often require legal, medical, and financial considerations. Mediation is a frequent part of her practice, especially in family-related disputes that touch on elder law questions.
Simms maintains offices in Volusia County and The Villages. In those settings she handles client consultations, mediation sessions, and legal filings. Colleagues describe her as methodical and thorough when preparing documents and when managing deadlines. Clients meet an attorney who blends legal training with an understanding of social services and care systems.
Her practice continues to center on elder law and related family matters. She spends her time advising older adults and their families on planning, guardianship, long-term care, and mediation of disputes arising from family and elder care situations.
She currently practices elder law and family mediation in Florida and Ohio.
