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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Weston Pioneers
Oppenheim & Pilelsky Attorneys and Civic Leaders
who have Blazed a Trail through our City
(Weston, Florida) — Roy Oppenheim and
his wife, Ellen Pilelsky, decided to move to Weston
over 15 years ago when they saw the massive, sweeping
interchange of I-75, I-595 and the Sawgrass Expressway
under construction. “These roads will lead
to somewhere,” Oppenheim recalled saying
at the time.
So the couple left their respective Wall Street law
practices to set down roots in what was mostly cow
pasture. “My friends and family didn’t
understand the rationale back then,” Oppenheim
said. “But we followed our gut instincts and
today we have no regrets.”
Those who know Oppenheim well say they’re not
surprised he was a pioneer. “Roy has one of
the most entrepreneurial spirits of anyone I’ve
ever known,” said Jonathan Awner, a fellow
lawyer with Akerman Senterfitt in Miami who has known
Oppenheim for 16 years. “He’s not afraid
to take risks.”
Oppenheim is a pioneer on many frontiers. Besides
being one of Weston’s first residents, he was
the first to open a law firm in the city and was on
the groud floor of several community and charity organizations.
Over time, he has grown into a prominent business and
civic leader.
The Oppenheim Pilelsky Law Firm has flourished because
of the sound philosophy of doing good and well at the
same time; that is, taking on cases that not only help
solve problems for the people directly involved, but
also have broader public policy implications.
Early on, Oppenheim earned a name for himself by representing
homeowners who lost their deposits to unscrupulous
builders. That experience helped pave the way for larger
high-profile cases. In 2000, the law firm sued Firestone
and was credited with keeping thousands of potentially
defective tires off of the nation’s highways.
Oppenheim has also brought statewide attention to the
dangers of bacterial meningitis and forced a major
supermarket chain to make its stores safer. He has
been at the center of the medical malpractice debate
in Florida and he was instrumental in informing the
public of the health problems associated with toxic
mold. Because his experience fighting for the consumer,
he is regularly called on by the local and national
news media for his expert commentary.
As Weston has grown, so too has the demand for Oppenheim
Pilelsky’s legal services. Late last year, the
firm relocated from the Republic Bank Building in Country
Isles to a larger home at the Weston Corporate Centre.
The law firm’s name and that of a title company
owned by Oppenheim are proudly emblazoned on the building’s
exterior, a sign of how far both businesses have come
in such a short amount of time.
For Oppenheim, it all began back in his native Bronx,
New York. As a teenager, he developed a strong work
ethic which still sticks with him today. After attending
Bronx High School of Science, he went on to graduate
from Princeton University and then Northwestern Law
School, where he met his future wife. The pair landed
their first jobs with top New York law firms, but after
a few years, both identified remarkable professional
and personal opportunities here in South Florida and
decided to make the move.
In South Florida, Oppenheim and Pilelsky practiced
law for two prominent firms in Miami. But again, more
chance was on the way. Pilelsky became pregnant with
the couple’s first child and made a lifestyle
decision to open her own firm. Husband Roy soon joined
her and Oppenheim Pilelsky was born. Shortly after
the firm started taking shape, the couple started Weston
Title & Escrow, which today serves various high-end
builders, developers, banks and real estate professionals.
The law firm’s business and real estate expertise
has earned it some major clients in both fields. When
Weston-based developer Ignacio Martinez was selected
to revamp the old Hollywood Fashion Center into a discount
shopping center, he turned to Oppenheim to negotiate
the deal. The South Florida Business Journal later
singled out the transaction as one of the area’s
Biggest Deals of the Year.” Oppenheim is also
counsel for Windmill Reserve, a new luxury home community
being built off of South Post Road.
“Roy Oppenheim is extremely thorough. He
has a clear vision of where he wants to go and who
he wants to be,” said Brenda Nestor, chairman
of Victor Posner Enterprises, the developer of Windmill
Reserve.
Rick Bell, who built dozens of custom homes in Weston’s
early days, including Oppenheim’s, echoes Nestor.
“Oppenheim is not only dedicated to being an
excellent attorney, but he and Ellen are also very
committed to giving back to the community and making
Weston a better place to live.”
Look around the city and you can see their community
service fingerprints all over town. Oppenheim was a
founding member of the Weston Business Chamber of Commerce
and the Weston Democratic Club, to name a few. He also
helped build B’nai Aviv, Weston’s first
temple, where he and his wife are very active. Pilelsky
is past chairperson of the Social Action Committee
that puts on an annual fair to showcase nonprofit organizations
in Broward County. Through the synagogue, the Oppenheim
family is also very active in Broward Homebound, a
nonprofit group that organizes visits to shut-ins.
In addition, they make regular trips to Broward homeless
shelter to serve hot meals and share time with folks
who are less fortunate.
Tom Kallman, owner of Kallman Insurance in Weston,
is both a client and a close personal friend. “Roy
is clearly an accomplished businessman, and he’s
also everything you would want in a community leader,”
said Kallman.
“In this life, it’s not what you take
out that measures your success, but what you give back,”
said Oppenheim. “That is a core principle
Ellen and I live by and one that we instill in our
three children.”
Shortly after the 9-11 attacks, daughter Melissa
followed in the family tradition. At age 12, she raised
almost $20,000 for the September 11 Fund by making
and baking patriotic items, a proud moment in the Oppenheim
household.
Whether it’s offering advice to his children
or to a client, Roy Oppenheim has made his mark in
Weston. As he settles into his new office and maps
out a plan for taking his law firm to a new level,
he can’t help but to reflect on the paths already
created and focus on the new trails yet to be blazed.
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About Oppenheim Pilelsky:
Oppenheim is a partner in the firm, along with
his wife Ellen Pilelsky. Oppenheim Pilelsky, the oldest
law firm in Weston, is a general practice concentrating
in real estate, litigation and consumer related matters.
The law firm of Oppenheim & Pilelsky is located
at: 1290 Weston Road, Suite 300, Weston, FL 33326 (954)
384-6114 or 1-888-384-6114. Oppenheim Pilelsky can
also be found at www.oppenheimlaw.com
For more information contact: Christine Manna or
Julie Silver at Boardroom Communications, 954-370-8999.
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