With deep roots to his community and a steady, progressive approach that’s attracted a broad range of clients, David Ladov has been one of Greater Philadelphia’s leading matrimonial attorneys for more than two decades. Moreover, the 56-year-old Ladov, today a partner of the large and prestigious firm Cozen O’Connor, is in the prime of his career - having built a professional reputation as a resourceful independent practitioner before joining Cozen in mid 2003. Well regarded by his peers but never shy to try a case, Ladov is in many respects the classic divorce lawyer - outgoing, scrappy and pugnacious - yet realistic and adaptable: Beyond the standard-issue support-and-custody cases he handles, Ladov has taken on those unprecedented cases involving surrogacy, same-sex unions and modern custody fights, all reflecting the changing social landscape.

The Norristown native had little idea divorce law would be his calling early on (I pictured myself becoming a “Y” director -- I liked camping”) but through Penn State he pursued an original discipline of “Individual and Family Studies” in its College of Human Development; unaware it was grooming him for divorce law. In law school at Emory in Atlanta (“It gave me a chance to see a different part of the country - I knew I’d be returning home”) his Family Law professor recognized his remarkable aptitude for the field - she told him, “This is what you are going to do.” Returning to Norristown, Ladov joined a small firm, Fox & Fox, where he “did a little bit of everything,” but mostly honed his courtroom skills and learned from “some of the best lawyers in the area.” For three years he practiced with Lynne Gold-Bikin, and helped build her substantial practice. In 1983, barely 30, Ladov went out on his own. “Growing up here, I knew many people. I knew clients would come through the door, eventually.” It didn’t take long for Ladov to need a larger door: Within a few years, he purchased a building in Plymouth Meeting, adding associates and staff. “It was a classic boutique practice.” Over the years Ladov grew more selective, but his hallmark has always been capably handling a large and varied caseload. Further, he’s been a reliable contributor to the state’s family law bar, and he continues to edit its quarterly.

After 20 years on his own, Ladov hit a wall not uncommon among successful independents: “I felt a bit stymied because I knew it’d be difficult to grow further.” In early 2003, “out of the blue,” Cozen O’Connor approached with a shareholder offer. A global firm with 22 offices (four in the Philadelphia area), it might seem an odd fit. In fact, however, it was “an easier adjustment” than Ladov originally thought. Ladov brought his talented support staff with him (including his assistant of 21 years, Kim Dolan, and associate of 12 years, Shelly Grossman), and clients continue to seek him out.

For many years Ladov has served as president of his community’s temple, with 600 families, near his former Blue Bell home; today he sits on the board of his new Philadelphia synagogue, Society Hill. He and his wife Sayde, herself a shareholder at the law firm Offit Kurman, and Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, have two daughters. One is a first year law student at Rutgers - Camden and the other is a sophomore at Emory University. Ladov is an avid golfer, although “I’m too busy to play much.”

ABOUT COZEN O’CONNOR:

Established in 1970, and ranked among the 100 largest law firms in the United States, Cozen O’Connor’s 550 attorneys help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and ambitious middle market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 24 offices across two continents.

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