Debbie Orshefsky
Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig

Debbie M. Orshefsky is a shareholder in the Fort Lauderdale office of the firm of Greenberg, Traurig and is Chair of the firm’s National Land Development Practice Group. Her practice is exclusively in the areas of land development and environmental law. Ms. Orshefsky began her career in Washington, D.C. representing developers and local governments before federal administrative agencies in the late 1970s. Upon relocating to Florida in 1980, Ms. Orshefsky gained an intimate knowledge of the land use planning process representing private developers and governmental agencies as special counsel. Ms. Orshefsky’s specialization in land development and environmental law has given her extensive experience in comprehensive planning, zoning, subdivision controls, community redevelopment, infrastructure planning and financing, as well as state, regional and local roles in land use decision-making. A graduate of Washington University, Ms. Orshefsky received her Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, in Urban Studies, 1975. She received her law degree from George Washington University in 1979. Ms. Orshefsky is a member of the District of Columbia (1979) and Florida Bars (1980). Ms.Orshefsky is a longstanding member of the Urban Land Institute and has served on the Executive Committee of the ULI Southeast/Caribbean District Council since 2002. In February 2006, she was appointed Chair of the District Council. As Chair, she has spearheaded the District Council’s affordable and workforce housing initiatives and was at the forefront of the Council’s sustainable communities and green development projects. She has served on the South Florida Regional Planning Council Affordable Housing Task Force, and was an active participant in “Eastward Ho”, an initiative of the Governor’s Commission on a Sustainable South Florida. In 1993, Debbie was appointed to the Broward Educational Planning Initiative Steering Committee by the Broward County School Board and remains involved in efforts to improve public education. Debbie is also former Chair of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Task Force (1988-1990) and was Chair of the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Transportation Management Association (1992-1994). She served on the Executive Council of the Environmental and Land Use Law Section of the Florida Bar (1981-1984) and was president of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers (1981-1983). Ms. Orshefsky is the recipient of numerous awards and achievements for her professional and community involvement, including: "Top Women in Florida Commercial Real Estate," Florida Real Estate Journal, 2008; "Top Lawyer," South Florida Legal Guide, 2005-2007 editions; Best Lawyers in America, 2006-2009 editions; Chambers & Partners USA Guide, an annual listing of the leading business lawyers and law firms in the world, 2004-2008 editions; selected by Super Lawyers magazine, 2006-2008 editions; recognition by “Best of the Bar" by the South Florida Business Journal, April 2003; and recognition by Broward County 1000+ Club of the American Cancer Society as one of 15 "Women of the Year 2005", chosen for her participation as Chair of the Community Advisory Board of the North Broward Hospital District Comprehensive Cancer Center.