Avera (1927-2009), William N.

DeeAnn Athan received her Juris Doctorate degree from New York Law School, N.Y., N.Y. in 1983, after receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from University of South Florida. DeeAnn began her career as a prosecutor with the State Attorney's Office in Hillsborough County, Florida. Upon leaving the Office of the State Attorney, DeeAnn began a general private practice where she litigated many criminal and family law matters over the course of the next nine years. She is not only an experienced trial attorney, but she is also a well versed appellate attorney having represented clients in both state and federal appellate courts in both civil and criminal matters. She is admitted to the practice of law in the State of Florida and in federal courts including the United States Supreme Court.

After nine years of a successful private practice DeeAnn joined the Office of the Public Defender in Hillsborough County where she supervised other lawyers and continued to litigate serious cases. Ultimately, she became a member of the Homicide Division. DeeAnn is well known for her defense of high profile cases. She successfully represented Walter "JJ" Revear, a twelve year old charged with robberies and later, car thefts. She was lead counsel for fifteen year old Valessa Robinson who was accused of murdering her mother. In that successful defense, Valessa avoided life in prison with a lesser conviction for Third Degree Murder and Grand Theft. Both "JJ" and Valessa were targeted by the local and national medias. DeeAnn was ridiculed by many for her zealous and unwavering representation of these children. DeeAnn has appeared on Court T.V. now TruTV, both as a litigant and as an attorney expert, on 48 Hours on CBS, on Dateline NBC, and on American Justice on A&E.

DeeAnn began with the law firm of Escobar & Associates, in June of 2003 where she continues to litigate serious criminal matters. In 2010 she decided to return to the roots of her early practice by joining the Family Law group.DeeAnn continues to use her twenty-eight years of legal experience to aggressively litigate divorces, child support matters, child custody issues, termination of parental rights, dependency defense and domestic violence injunctions.