Janis Boyarsky Schiff

Practice Areas

Janis B. Schiff is an attorney in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office and co-chair of the firm's National Retail Development and Leasing Team. Ms. Schiff has extensive experience representing property owners, asset managers and investors in connection with the development, redevelopment, sale, acquisition and leasing of retail, residential, condominium, office, industrial, and mixed-use properties and venues. She represents clients in all facets of commercial real estate, including foreign investment in the United States, public-private partnerships, government leasing, financial workouts and restructurings, acquisition and sales contracts for improved and unimproved properties, and borrower and lender representation, and retail and office leasing. She also serves as co-editor of Holland & Knight's Retail and Commercial Development and Leasing Blog.

Ms. Schiff previously served as the firm's client service and development partner. In this role, she worked with members of the firm's senior management and clients to develop and implement client initiatives on a firmwide basis. She coordinates the firm's Rising Stars mentoring and leadership program, which she co-founded in 2003, and is the immediate past chair of the firm's National Real Estate Section.

Ms. Schiff has also served as an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins University Berman Real Estate Institute and is a frequent author and lecturer on leasing and general real estate transactional topics.

Professional Memberships

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, Board of Directors

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, National Jewish Endowment Fund, Trustee

Edlavitch Jewish Community Center, Board of Directors, 2018-Present

Greater Washington Board of Trade, Board of Directors, 2012-Present

Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Success in Law School Program, Mentor, 2013-2018

International Council of Shopping Centers, former State Director, Government Affairs Chair and State Operations Chair

Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), Suburban Maryland Chapter, Past President

Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), District of Columbia Chapter

Women in Retail Real Estate (WIRRE)

Urban Land Institute, Washington, D.C., District Council

Georgetown University Law School Advanced Commercial Leasing Institute, Board Member and Lecturer

Easterseals DC MD VA, Board of Directors, Chair, 2014-2017; Search Committee, Chair, 2017; Marketing and Development Committee, Former Chair

Washington, D.C., Economic Partnership, Board Member

Washington Business Hall of Fame, Campaign Committee, 2010-2012

Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation, Holocaust Remembrance Project

District of Columbia Building Industry Association

Junior Achievement of Greater Washington, Board of Directors