Deborah Bankhead
2100 Ross Ave Ste 950,
Dallas, TX 75201
Senior Associate
Deborah Bankhead is a Senior Associate in Varghese Summersett’s Criminal Defense Division, where she represents clients facing serious criminal allegations, with a focus on sex offenses and other specialized and complex felony cases. A former Dallas County felony prosecutor, Deborah brings extensive criminal law experience and a background for handling some of the most serious and sensitive cases in the justice system.
Before returning to Varghese Summersett, Deborah spent nearly eight years as a prosecutor with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, where she distinguished herself as a skilled trial attorney and rose through the ranks to serve in several leadership roles, including chief of a misdemeanor family violence court and the specialized prosecutor for the Felony DWI Diversion Program. As a felony prosecutor, she was selected for assignments in some of the office’s most specialized and demanding divisions, including the Sexual Assault Division, Crimes Against Children Division, and the Cold Case Unit.
Throughout the majority of her prosecutorial career, Deborah handled the investigation and prosecution of complex, high-stakes cases involving adult sexual assault, human trafficking, and child sexual abuse. Her trial experience includes cases involving sophisticated forensic, digital, and geolocation evidence, as well as investigations involving multiple victims and complex patterns of criminal conduct. She developed extensive experience navigating cases involving highly technical, scientific, and factually intricate evidence, as well as emotionally demanding issues.
In 2022, Deborah’s exceptional performance earned her the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office’s highest individual honor, Felony Prosecutor of the Year. The award recognized a standout year in her career that included successfully trying a nearly three-week complex murder case, along with multiple trials involving serial sexual offenders. She was selected for the honor from among all of the office’s felony prosecutors—a distinction that reflects both her courtroom skill and her reputation for handling some of the most serious and challenging cases in Dallas County.
Today, Deborah uses that experience on the other side of the courtroom, giving her a valuable perspective when defending people accused of serious crimes. She understands how prosecutors investigate, evaluate, prepare, and try complex cases — and how important that knowledge is to best advocate for her clients.
Background
Deborah is a Dallas native who graduated from Lake Highlands High School. She attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies with a focus on political communication.
After college, Deborah moved to Houston and worked for an oil and gas recruiting firm. It was during that time that she began considering a legal career. She later returned to Dallas before enrolling at Texas A&M University School of Law, where she discovered a particular interest in criminal law.
While in law school, Deborah gained courtroom exposure through judicial internships and began interning at Varghese Summersett in 2015. After earning her law degree and becoming licensed in 2016, she joined the firm as an attorney.
Deborah practiced at Varghese Summersett until 2019, when she joined the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. She quickly advanced from misdemeanor prosecution to felony court and later joined the office’s Adult Sexual Assault Division, handling adult sexual offenses, human trafficking cases, and cold-case sexual assaults. She was later assigned to the Crimes Against Children Division before returning to adult sex offenses and human trafficking prosecution.
After more than seven years as a prosecutor, Deborah returned to Varghese Summersett as a Senior Associate in the firm’s Dallas office, bringing with her extensive trial, investigative, and case-strategy experience.
Outside of work, Deborah enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children.
Fun Fact: Deborah is an avid needlepointer — a hobby she first discovered while volunteering during law school and later picked back up.
Education
- Texas A&M University School of Law, Juris Doctor, 2016
- University of Texas at Austin, B.S. Communication Studies, 2011
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of Texas
Honors, Awards, and Memberships
- Felony Prosecutor of the Year, Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, 2022
- Attorney Volunteer Award, Tarrant County Bar Association, 2018
- North Texas State Criminal Law Chapter of American Inns of Court, Barrister Member
- Dallas Bar Association, Member
- Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Member
- Tarrant County Bar Association, Member
- Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Member