Deborah Winokur

Associate General Counsel – Professional Responsibility

Deborah advises clients on risk management, ethics, and professional responsibility issues arising within their law firms and practices. Deborah also works with stakeholders within the firm to advise on ethical aspects of pending matters and to assure adherence to ethical standards and compliance with firm policies. In addition, she advises firm management on lateral recruitment and integration. 

 

Deborah handles pro bono representations, including representing clients through the Support Center for Child Advocates, Defender Association of Philadelphia, Campaign for Working Families Tax Clinic, Volunteers for the Indigent Program and Homeless Advocacy Project. She is a lecturer in law and teaches a course in Professional Responsibility and Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Deborah is also a regular columnist for Law360, where she shares her insights on current legal ethics issues.

 

Deborah earned her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania and her law degree from Columbia University School of Law.

News

Pa. Disciplinary Board Floats Rule Barring Lawyer-Client Sexting

September 05, 2023

Deborah Winokur was quoted in a Law360 article discussing a possible rule proposal by the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board that would clarify restrictions on attorney-client sexual relations to include a bar on sexual communication.

Deborah Winokur Appointed to the ABA Standing Committee on Public Protection in the Provision of Legal Services

August 11, 2023

Deborah Winokur, a member of the firm’s Legal Profession Services practice, has been appointed to the American Bar Association (ABA) Standing Committee on Public Protection in the Provision of Legal Services.

Deborah Winokur Elected To The Pennsylvania Bar Association House of Delegates

November 04, 2022

Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce that Deborah Winokur has been elected to the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s House of Delegates. Deborah will be a delegate in Zone One, and her term will start immediately.

Pa. Bar Groups Ask 3rd Circ. To Support Atty Anti-Bias Rule

September 20, 2022

Thomas Wilkinson, Daniel Harrington, and Deborah Winokur, representing the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and Allegheny County Bar Associations, were quoted in a Law360 Article.

Publications

Lawyers Must Be Careful When Using Listservs [Law360]

July 22, 2024

Deborah Winokur contributed an Expert Analysis to Law360, discussing the drawbacks of using listservs for client matters and how to mitigate the risks by protecting confidential information.

Litigation Funding Needs Regulating To Meet Ethics Standards [Law360]

March 25, 2024

Deborah Winokur contributed an Expert Analysis to Law360, discussing third-party litigation funding, which is not specifically regulated under federal law.

Attorneys Have an Ethical Duty to Protect the Judiciary [Law360]

December 01, 2023

Deborah Winokur contributed an expert analysis to Law360, discussing the rise of attacks and threats against judges in the last several years.

Third Circuit Upholds Pennsylvania Rule 8.4(g) Prohibiting Harassment and Discrimination in the Practice of Law [Alert]

August 29, 2023

The Third Circuit Upheld a Pennsylvania Rule of Professional Conduct prohibiting knowing harassment and discrimination in the practice of law.

Guardrails Needed Against Politically Motivated Atty Discipline [Law360]

August 03, 2023

Deborah Winokur contributed an expert analysis to Law360 discussing the California Bar Association’s pledge to reform its disciplinary process to restore the public’s faith in the law.

Don't Let Client Demands Erode Law Firm Autonomy [Law360]

April 06, 2023

Deborah Winokur contributed an expert analysis column to Law360 discussing the change in BigLaw culture to reflect the culture of their clients and employees.

U.S. Supreme Court Takes a DIG on Privilege Case [Lawyers Representing Lawyers Blog]

February 01, 2023

Lawyers, particularly in-house lawyers, across the country had been anxiously awaiting the Supreme Court’s opinion on whether privilege attaches to attorney communications created for legal and non-legal purposes. In re Grand Jury, No. 21- 1397 (U.S.) The collective agita was perhaps misplaced,...

Hard Lessons about Hard Copies: Waiving the Privilege at the Front Desk [Lawyers Representing Lawyers Blog]

January 06, 2023

Thomas Wilkinson and Deborah Winokur co-authored an article for the American Bar Association discussing how seemingly innocuous or careless acts can result in at least a partial waiver of the attorney-client privilege. They look at examples involving waiver of the privilege by the client, and also...

Supreme Court Set to Review Attorney-Client Privilege in “Dual-Purpose Communications” [Lexology]

December 05, 2022

Thomas Wilkinson and Deborah Winokur co-authored an article for Lexology covering a circuit split the U.S. Supreme Court will address concerning the proper test federal courts should apply when assessing whether the attorney-client privilege protects communications that serve a “dual purpose.”

Attorneys Should Note Judges’ Financial Conflicts of Interest [Law360]

August 16, 2022

Deborah Winokur authored an article about the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently vacating a $2.75 billion patent infringement judgment.

What is Going on With SCOTUS and Arbitration? – They Love FAA, They Love It Not [Lawyers Representing Lawyers Blog]

July 25, 2022

Lawyers who assume that the arbitration provisions within their carefully drafted agreements will be enforced may have to re-examine these assumptions. Within the space of less than one month, the Justices waded into three civil matters that dealt with the constant re-arrangement of the deck chairs...

Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze? Holding Shares in Corporate Conglomerates Can End Up a “Conflict Nightmare” for Federal Judges [Alert]

July 20, 2022

Federal Judiciary members are voicing their concerns over problematic reporting requirements under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 7.1.

Be Solicitous of New ABA Ethics Guidance on Solicitation [Lawyers Representing Lawyers Blog]

May 16, 2022

In mid-April, the ABA’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility issued Formal Opinion 501 clarifying the meaning of “solicitation” within the Rules of Professional Conduct. More specifically, the new opinion addressed the interplay of the general prohibition against in-person...

The Delaney Decision – The NJ Advisory Committee’s Redux [Lawyers Representing Lawyers Blog]

March 24, 2022

The Supreme Court of New Jersey recently issued its ruling and opinion in the closely watched case of Delaney v. Trent S. Dickey and Sills Cummins & Gross, P.C. (Dec. 21, 2020)(“Sills”), relating to enforcement of a mandatory arbitration agreement in the Sills engagement letter. The Court...

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Spotlighting Our Hispanic Federal Jurists

October 20, 2021

Deborah Winokur co-authored an article for the Fall 2021 issue of Houston's Legacy newsletter of the PBA Minority Bar Committee.

Ethical Considerations for Lawyers Working Remotely

September 25, 2020

Deborah Winokur co-authored an article in the PLI Chronicle discussing how now is a good time to re-visit your approach to remote working and making sure you are practicing good hygiene with respect to these issues: confidentiality, competence and communication.

Ethical Issues with Remote Work During COVID-19 [Alert]

March 30, 2020

Bill Gericke and Deb Winokur discuss lawyers and law firm's ethical obligations when working remotely and outsourcing work.

Events & Seminars

Past Events

Client Protection Funds and the Rise of AI

May 31, 2024 - Denver, CO

Key Legal Issues Keeping In-House Counsel Up at Night

September 27, 2023 - Washington, D.C.

UPL Rules – Changes Affecting Attorneys and Staff

May 06, 2023 - Plymouth Meeting, PA

2023 WIP Annual Conference

May 04, 2023 - Philadelphia, PA

Witness Ethics: Avoiding the Minefields

December 14, 2022 - Webinar

Professional Liability Program

November 05, 2022 - Hershey, PA

A Living, Breathing First Amendment?

August 05, 2022 - Chicago, IL

Developments in the Unauthorized Practice of Law

June 25, 2022 - Philadelphia, PA

Corporate Counsel Ethics Update

May 12, 2021 - Webinar

Education

  • Columbia University School of Law, J.D., 1999
  • University of Pennsylvania, B.A., cum laude, 1995

Awards & Honors

Philly Friendship Circle, Adult Volunteer of the Year, 2022

  • Pennsylvania

American Bar Association Section of Litigation Ethics and Professionalism Committee

(Member; Programming Committee Chair 2022) 

Co-chair, Professional Responsibility Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association

Philadelphia Bar Association Professional Guidance Committee

Pennsylvania Bar Association Committee on Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility

Pennsylvania Bar Association Civility in the Professional Committee

Pennsylvania Bar Association House of Delegates (Voting)

Pennsylvania Bar Association Professional Liability Committee

Pennsylvania Bar Association Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee

Pennsylvania Bar Association Women in the Profession Committee 

(Legislative Committee; Promotion of Women Subcommittee)

Law360 - Columnist