Debra Ellwood Meppen

Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP
Partner & Chair of the National Employment Law Practice Group

Debra Ellwood Meppen is a partner at Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP and chair of its national employment law practice group. With 29 years of experience, including 23 at GRSM, she resolves high-stakes matters for major Hollywood figures, often preventing multimillion-dollar losses and reputational fallout. In 2023, Meppen closed a record number of sensitive entertainment cases without litigation or publicity. She leads firmwide DEI and women’s leadership programs and co-chairs the Leadership Equality and Diversity Program. Her legal guidance blends discretion, strategy and diplomacy, making her a trusted advisor in crisis negotiation. Outside of the firm, Meppen also serves as a Los Angeles Superior Court settlement officer and volunteers with UCLA Operation Mend and L.A. Family Housing.