Deborah Iwanyshyn

Few attorneys embody the intersection of law, finance, and compassion as seamlessly as Attorney Deborah Iwanyshyn. With a foundation rooted in accounting and decades of professional experience, she brings an uncommon blend of analytical rigor and human understanding to her Family Law practice.

Deborah’s professional journey began long before she ever set foot in a courtroom. After graduating cum laude from Penn State University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, she launched her career as an auditor with Coopers & Lybrand in Pittsburgh, later advancing to Audit Supervisor with Main Hurdman in Erie, where she earned her CPA license. Her dedication and leadership carried her to the Allegheny County Controller’s Office, where she managed a team of more than thirty professionals as Chief Accountant.

Even while advancing in the accounting field, Deborah was drawn to the human side of financial matters—the way numbers intersect with people’s lives. Balancing full-time work and motherhood, she attended evening classes at Duquesne University School of Law to earn her Juris Doctor. Upon passing the bar, she redirected her expertise toward Family Law, focusing on matters of divorce, custody, and financial settlement. Her unique background quickly set her apart in cases demanding forensic accounting, business valuation, and financial transparency.

Before practicing law full-time, Deborah was an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) in Business Valuation with the American Society of Appraisers and served as an officer on the Pittsburgh Chapter’s Board of Directors. She was frequently called upon as an expert witness in forensic accounting and valuation cases, and she collaborated with renowned valuation expert Shannon P. Pratt, contributing to his seminal text Valuing Small Businesses & Professional Practices.

This deep foundation in numbers became the cornerstone of her legal work. Whether negotiating a complex marital estate or unraveling financial misconduct, Deborah brings the precision of an auditor and the advocacy of a seasoned attorney to every case. Her goal has always been simple yet profound: to ensure that financial outcomes in family law are fair, transparent, and grounded in truth.

Her commitment to justice and equality also extended beyond traditional family law. In 1995, Deborah undertook one of the most challenging and high-profile cases of her career: Welch v. Wildwood Golf Club, 904 F. Supp. 438 (E.D. Pa. Aug. 10, 1995). At the time, she was both a member of the Club and counsel for the plaintiff in a class action lawsuit alleging gender discrimination in membership and playing privileges. The case, which gained national attention and was featured in USA Today’s sports section, placed her in direct opposition to the Club’s Board of Directors and a team of attorneys from Cohen & Grigsby.

The experience was as intense as it was formative. Her client, who discovered the national coverage while vacationing in Hawaii, faced a formidable deposition attended by the entire Board and multiple defense attorneys. Although the case did not result in a judicial victory, it achieved meaningful change: the Club subsequently amended its rules to ensure that female golf members received equal treatment to their male counterparts, including equitable access to tee times on a first-come, first-served basis. Reflecting on the case years later, Deborah acknowledges it as one of her most demanding contingent-fee undertakings—an endeavor that yielded no financial compensation but left a lasting legacy in the advancement of fairness and equality in recreational membership practices.

Her dedication to resolution extends beyond litigation. Trained under the late Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Max Baer through the Allegheny County Custody Mediation Program, Deborah became a respected court-appointed mediator. She has mediated disputes for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Postal Service, and countless private clients, completing over 100 hours of specialized training. Her involvement with the Western Pennsylvania Mediation Council, the Academy of Family Mediators, and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts reflects her belief that even in conflict, understanding is possible.

Beyond her professional achievements, Deborah’s empathy is shaped by her own life experience. Having navigated a difficult divorce and single parenthood, she approaches each client’s story with authenticity and care. Her personal journey informs her firm’s guiding philosophy—“Meeting Clients at Your Point of Need”—a promise of compassion paired with unwavering advocacy.

Today, as founder and managing attorney of Iwanyshyn & Associates, Deborah leads a dedicated team serving families across Western Pennsylvania—including Allegheny, Butler, Beaver, Washington, Fayette, Westmoreland, and Armstrong Counties. Her practice continues to reflect her lifelong belief that the best legal outcomes arise when technical precision meets human understanding.

Outside the office, Deborah’s commitment to community and education continues. She has served on the boards of Animal Friends and The Family Mediation Council, taught Evidence at Carlow University, and chaired initiatives within the American Bar Association’s Family Law Section.

For Attorney Iwanyshyn, every case is more than a legal problem—it’s a life in transition. And with every client she serves, she strives to bring not just resolution, but restoration.

Beyond her professional achievements, Deborah’s empathy is shaped by her own life experience. Having navigated a difficult divorce and single parenthood, she approaches each client’s story with authenticity and care. Her personal journey informs her firm’s guiding philosophy—“Meeting Clients at Your Point of Need”—a promise of compassion paired with unwavering advocacy.

Today, as founder and managing attorney of Iwanyshyn & Associates, Deborah leads a dedicated team serving families across Western Pennsylvania—including Allegheny, Butler, Beaver, Washington, Fayette, Westmoreland, and Armstrong Counties. Her practice continues to reflect her lifelong belief that the best legal outcomes arise when technical precision meets human understanding.

Outside the office, Deborah’s commitment to community and education continues. She has served on the boards of Animal Friends and The Family Mediation Council, taught Evidence at Carlow University, and chaired initiatives within the American Bar Association’s Family Law Section.

For Attorney Iwanyshyn, every case is more than a legal problem—it’s a life in transition. And with every client she serves, she strives to bring not just resolution, but restoration.

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