Deborah A. Coe

Deborah Coe’s areas of expertise include agribusiness, construction, personal injury, and product liability. She has successfully litigated many cases, including obtaining a multi-million dollar verdict in Monterey County Superior Court.

Background

Ms. Coe has experience in handling a variety of tort and contract litigation, including product liability, construction (defect, contract, statutory claims, public and private), crop insurance, PACA, agricultural issues, ADA access claims, general business, environmental, premises liability, personal injury, and insurance defense. She also has experience in complex matters, with special emphasis in product liability actions involving vehicles, equipment, machinery, tools, and a variety of other commercial and consumer products.

Ms. Coe has brought resolution in matters over the years for her clients, including numerous binding arbitrations, settlements, and trials – notably having obtained a multi-million dollar verdict in Monterey County Superior Court in 2013 and subsequently having fully prevailed in the appeal.

Ms. Coe is active in a number of professional associations that include the Fresno County Bar Association (Board of Directors 2014 – present, Secretary 2016, 1^st Vice President 2017, President 2019) (Construction Law Section, Co-Chair 2005-2006; Chair 2006-2007); Fresno County Women Lawyers (Board of Directors 2002 to 2006; President 2005); State Bar of California; American Bar Association (Member, TIPS & Litigation Sections and Construction Industry Forum); Federal Bar Association; Defense Research Institute (Member, Construction Law Committee, Products Liability Committee); Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Northern California; and the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada. She serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Building Industry Association of Fresno/Madera Counties, Inc., and has served on the  Board of Trustees for San Joaquin College of Law since 2003.

Ms. Coe was inducted into the San Joaquin College of Law Alumni Hall of Fame for her outstanding contributions to the legal community in 2016.  She was voted a “Super Lawyer” starting in 2016 through the present. While serving as FCWL President in 2005, Ms. Coe chaired the committee to develop the Champions of Justice award winning Project First Step program, which continues to assist victims of domestic violence with legal representation in local courts.

Ms. Coe served as a judge pro tem for the Fresno County Small Claims Court (1997 – 2010) and is on the Fresno County Superior Court approved list of mediators. She has been a member of the Rotary Club of Fig Garden, served on the Board of Directors, and was President in 2010-2011.