About Us

Deborah has been registered as an Industrial Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) since August 1990. Her early career was spent as a Human Resources Consultant / Director and co-owner of a specialist recruitment company called Debron Recruitment Consultants. In 2009, she founded Deborah Atkins & Associates Inc. She has, however, specialised in medico-legal services from 2002, accepting instructions from both Plaintiff and Defendant attorneys, and has established herself as a trusted earnings expert witness. Her expertise includes personal injury and accident claims (including Road Accident Fund matters), medical malpractice, public liability, divorce and maintenance disputes, plus Justice Department cases. She has also testified as an expert court witness on numerous occasions in the High Court of South Africa.

Deborah obtained her B.Soc Science (1979), BA Honours (1986), and Master’s in Industrial and Organisational Psychology (1989) from the University of Cape Town. She is also an active member of the Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychologists of South Africa (SIOPSA) and the South African Medico-Legal Association (SAMLA).

Bianca first joined Deborah Atkins and Associates in December 2015. While under the expert guidance of Deborah and having assisted with over 500 medico-legal reports, Bianca gained meaningful exposure to the medico-legal field, with a special focus on, but not limited to, RAF matters, medical negligence, loss of support, public liability, and divorce and maintenance disputes. It was during this time that Bianca discovered her passion and enthusiasm for the field.

In 2020, Bianca returned to university to pursue her degree in Industrial Psychology. She converted her BA Psychology degree to a BCom by completing a number of undergraduate modules. She then completed her Honours and Master’s degrees and qualified as an Industrial Psychologist after passing the board exam in June 2025, with a distinction.

Since qualifying, she has rejoined Deborah Atkins and Associates, bringing a solid foundation in the field, fresh energy and a renewed perspective to the team. In addition, Bianca is a Registered Psychometrist and is competent in administering, interpreting, and reporting on various psychometric tools for the purpose of career guidance, recruitment, and development. With a strong commitment to growth, she aims to contribute to the expansion of the practice’s medico-legal services.

In addition to the above qualifications, Bianca studied Child and Family Psychology and earned her honours degree in psychology in 2012. She then completed her psychometrics qualification (2014) and registered with the HPCSA in the same category.

Ashleigh has been part of Deborah Atkins & Associates Inc. since October 2019 and serves as the Practice Manager. Highly efficient and knowledgeable, she is well-versed in every aspect of the medico-legal field and plays a pivotal role in ensuring the practice runs seamlessly and professionally. As the brand ambassador and face of the firm, Ashleigh ensures that every stakeholder feels valued and heard. She oversees all administration and logistics while fostering strong relationships across the board.

In addition to her managerial role, Ashleigh supports Deborah with assessments, research, collateral, and report writing, while continuously updating research sources and platforms to ensure the practice remains at the forefront of the field.

Ashleigh holds a Bachelor of Applied Social Sciences and a BSocSci Honours in Psychology, majoring in Psychological Counselling cum laude, from the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP). She is also a Registered Counsellor and successfully passed the HPCSA board exam with distinction in 2020.

With a passion for helping people unlock and embrace their inner resources, Ashleigh incorporates her counselling expertise into her daily work. She engages with clients with empathy, creating a safe and respectful environment where dignity and pride are upheld.

Prior to joining Deborah Atkins & Associates, Ashleigh managed counselling services at Table View Primary School, overseeing more than 50 active cases. Her work included counselling, crisis intervention, workshops, and psychometric testing in partnership with the Department of Social Development.