Anna Deffebach

Senior Counsel

Anna Deffebach is a Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward.

Anna previously served as a trial attorney for the Federal Programs Branch at the United States Department of Justice. As a trial attorney, Anna litigated high-profile constitutional and administrative law challenges to federal statutes, regulations, executive orders, and other government programs and agency actions. Anna’s work spanned multiple subject areas, including reproductive rights, healthcare, employment discrimination, victim compensation funds, and constitutional challenges to administrative adjudications.

Anna also served as a member of DOJ’s Reproductive Rights Team where she developed litigation strategy to protect and expand access to reproductive healthcare under federal law. This work included the United States’ lawsuit against Idaho to enjoin the State’s abortion ban to allow women to access health-and life-preserving abortion care. For this work, Anna received the Special Commendation to the Post-Dobbs Reproductive Freedom Team for Outstanding Service to the Civil Division.

Prior to DOJ, Anna worked as an associate at Robbins, Russell, Englert, Orseck & Sauber LLP. She clerked for Judge Michael H. Simon on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon and Judge Bruce M. Selya on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Anna received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College.