Candice Komar is a founding member of Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC. Prior to this, she was a shareholder in the family law division of Buchanan Ingersoll. Candice's head for business helps when it comes to the valuation of closely held businesses and other considerations in divorces involving complex issues or high net worth individuals. Her decades of experience enable her to take a quick overview of a case, synthesize the numbers, and create options and cost estimates to achieve those options.
Candice devotes a significant portion of practice to custody cases, particularly relocation matters.
Candice is trained in Collaborative Law and works with clients on collaborative divorces. Her experience in Collaborative Law helps with her divorce cases, providing her with an understanding of the motivations and needs of the party on the other side of the case and, therefore, the ability to create strategies that take their disposition into account. Pursuing an interest in the psychotherapeutic dynamics of family law, she obtained a Certification in Constellation Therapy through the Hellinger Learning Institute of Western Pennsylvania.
Candice majored in English and Business at the University of Pittsburgh and found that family law was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of words and her desire to use her analytical skills. She also studied ballet in her youth and as an adult and found that being in a courtroom fit well with her love of performing. The discipline of ballet study also transfers to her courtroom preparation, and those skills and experiences serve her well. She has considerable trial experience in Allegheny County and surrounding counties, particularly in valuation of closely held business interests, complex support cases, and custody matters, including custody relocation.
Candice admires many people (particularly woman pioneers like Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart), but high on her list is fashion designer Coco Chanel because of her ability to come from a humble background, use her God-given talents to the fullest, and build a lasting empire. It doesn't come as a coincidence that Candice adores fashion.
Candice recently moved to the downtown Pittsburgh area and enjoys the many cultural opportunities that are practically in her living room. She frequently attends Steeler games and a variety of charity events around the city. She adores travel and recently started participating in two-week mission work trips to South Africa. She also enjoys golf, yoga, photography, skiing, and dance (ballet and ballroom). In addition to her many friends, she has a fondness for her two oversized Norwegian Forest cats.
Education
Candice is a graduate of the University of Dayton Law School, where she served as associate legislative note editor of the Law Review. She earned dual bachelor degrees in English and Business from the University of Pittsburgh.
“Often clients come in and we talk through their case and afterward they say that no one else has explained it to them as clearly as I have. I enjoy being able to take this scary, amorphous idea of a divorce and make it a concrete process with numbers and expectations. That takes a lot of the fear out of it.”
Awards
Candice has been named to the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Pennsylvania since 2009 and the Top 50 Attorneys in Pittsburgh by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers from 2009 through 2011. She has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America annual edition since 2008 and Pennsylvania Super Lawyers since 2007. Candice was granted fellowship in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in June 2011, in recognition of her leadership, professionalism, and excellence in the practice of family law.
CV
“Often clients come in and we talk through their case and afterward they say that no one else has explained it to them as clearly as I have. I enjoy being able to take this scary, amorphous idea of a divorce and make it a concrete process with numbers and expectations. That takes a lot of the fear out of it.”
News
April 25, 2013 — Candice L. Komar, founding partner of Pittsburgh-based family law firm Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC, will participate in a panel discussion about successful business practices as part of a Pittsburgh Magazine quarterly Spotlight on Women in Business event. The event is part of a series presented by First Commonwealth Bank in conjunction with Pittsburgh Magazine and highlights the successes of local women business professionals. View Full Release
June 19, 2012 — Candice L. Komar, founding partner at family law firm Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC, will again participate in analysis regarding the Jerry Sandusky trial with other local experts on PCNC’s NightTalk on Tuesday, June 19, live at 8 p.m. The show airs for most viewers on channel 35 locally.
During last week’s show, Komar fielded questions from callers and participated in a lively debate with fellow guest, Cyril Wecht, regarding the ongoing, high-profile trial of the former Penn State coach. View Full Release (PDF)
March 16, 2012 — Candice L. Komar, founding partner of Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC, was honored last night at the Pittsburgh Business Times 2012 Women in Business Awards reception and dinner. Komar is one of 25 women in the region being recognized for her business accomplishments and community leadership. Each year, the Women in Business Awards recognize the exceptional accomplishments of a diverse array of women leaders in some of Pittsburgh’s biggest industries, including education, energy, real estate, manufacturing, law, banking and health care. View full release (PDF). View photos from the event.
January 23, 2012 — Candice L. Komar, founding partner of Pittsburgh-based family law firm Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC, has been named a recipient of the Pittsburgh Business Times 2012 Women in Business Awards. She is one of 25 women in the region being honored for her business accomplishments and community leadership. Each year, the Women in Business Awards recognize the exceptional accomplishments of a diverse array of women leaders in some of Pittsburgh's biggest industries, including education, energy, real estate, manufacturing, law, banking and health care. View Full Release (PDF)
Select Publications and Presentations
- Guest Speaker, PCNC NightTalk, Jerry Sandusky Trial. 2012.
- Co-presenter, Pennsylvania Bar Association Family Law Section, “Never Can Say Goodbye.” 2011.
- Guest Speaker, PCNC NightTalk, Florida's Sharia Law. 2011.
- Co-presenter, Cyril Wecht Institute Forensic Fridays, “Is it ‘The Economy’ or is it Obfuscation? The Roles of Financial Experts in Divorce Litigation Today.” 2011.
- Guest Speaker, PCNC NightTalk, Match.com Expectations and Screening. 2011.
- Co-presenter, Cyril Wecht Institute Forensic Fridays, “Behavioral Science Evidence in Divorce and Custody Cases.” 2010.
- Guest Speaker, PCNC NightTalk, Tiger Wood's Divorce Agreements. 2010.
- Co-Course Planner/Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, “Bankruptcy and Creditor Issues.” 2008.
Other Media Appearances
- Pittsburgh Magazine, "Spotlight on Women in Business: April 2013."
- Pittsburgh Business Times, “Memoirs influence business, personal philosophy,” March 29, 2013.
- Super Lawyers Magazine, “Keeping the Family in Family Law,” by Eleanor LeBeau, 2012.
- Pittsburgh Business Times, “Women in Business winners discuss their vision for the Pittsburgh region,” March 30, 2012
- PIttsburgh Tribune-Review, "Consultants help clients color their worlds," by JoAnne Klimovich Harrop, February 19, 2013.
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Dressing for (legal) success: Fashion strategy for the courtroom and office,” by Gabrielle Banks, 2012.
“One of my strengths is getting to understand the parameters of a marital estate early in the process so my clients have an idea of what to expect as their result.”
Affiliations & Memberships
Candice has lectured for numerous Pennsylvania Bar Institute seminars teaching family law topics to fellow attorneys for Continuing Legal Education credits. She was a member of the steering committee that founded the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Matrimonial Inns of Court where she participated as a Barrister and served as Secretary/Treasurer to the organization.
Candice is also a fellow of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation and a proud member of the Collaborative Law Association of Southwestern Pennsylvania and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.
A resident of Downtown Pittsburgh, Candice is a huge proponent of our city’s amenities, a dedicated supporter of the area’s cultural attributes and a volunteer through several nonprofit and community organizations, both locally and abroad. These include: Neighborhood Legal Services; YWCA Legal Resources for Women; Uptown Legal Clinic at Bethlehem Haven Women's Shelter; and Four Square Ministries, Africa. Candice has served as vice president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Executive Women's Golf Association and as a board member of several community organizations, most notably the Dance Alloy and the Junior League of Pittsburgh, where she also held executive committee positions.
“I enjoy taking fragmented pieces of information and creating a sense of order so that my clients can see the options and learn what to expect.”
On A Personal Note
My interests cover such a broad spectrum that it would be difficult to include them all in such a small space. In a week I can easily go from a night at the theater to a Steelers game to playing with my young godson and his brother. I enjoy dressing up for formal charity events, but I'm equally happy traveling to South Africa and getting my hands dirty building churches and schools. I love art and photography and have recently been teaching myself to play the guitar. Finally, no introduction of myself would be complete without also saying that I have amazing friends whom I'm grateful to spend a lot of time with.
“I like seeing people heal through the divorce process. The most gratifying thing is seeing a person evolve from devastation when they come in to strong and vibrant when the process is over.”