For nearly four decades, David Pollock has practiced family law to help individuals and families as they go through tough times. He is a founding member of Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC and was previously a partner and head of the Matrimonial Law Group at Reed Smith LLP.
David focuses on the economics of pre-marital agreements, separation, divorce, or unmarried partners, estate planning, business and family succession planning, equitable distribution, support, and alimony. He works with both traditional divorces and large cases that require complex business valuation, framing of assets, net disposable income, taxation, and all aspects of complicated financial matters involved in such cases.
David sees the roots of his desire to practice law in his family's history of helping people. His father was a general practice physician and his mother was a social worker whose focus included marriage issues. He learned from them the value of taking care of individual people and families. He began his legal career doing civil trial work, which led to divorce work in the Family Divisions and Domestic Relations Sections of Western Pennsylvania. The enjoyment of family law stayed with him as he founded a law practice, then practiced at Reed Smith, and as he founded Pollock Begg Komar Glasser LLC in 2001.
In his spare time, David is very social and active and can often be found participating at Temple Sinai, the Jewish Community Center, around his neighborhood and in the community in a variety of volunteer activities. He and his wife, who retired from a nearly 40-year career, enjoy travel and frequently coordinate trips with family law conventions and conferences around the United States and Europe. They also frequently travel to New York to be with their two sons, daughters-in-law, and new granddaughter.
David admired his father's 50-year career as a small town general practice physician and his uncle, who worked as a merchant for 50 years before retiring to pursue all his pent-up interests, attending the Community College of Allegheny County from age 65 to 90 to become the first recipient of the Exceptional Student Award and was one of the CCAC Boyce Campus Dean's advisors. He became a well-known painter, and created, nurtured, and fostered many community programs still active today. He taught David that family comes before anything else in the world.
Education
David is a 1974 graduate of Duquesne University School of Law and a 1970 graduate of The Pennsylvania State University (Anthropology major and Sociology minor), having commenced college at the end of his junior year in high school.
“I've wanted to practice law all my life and I'm clearly someone who got lucky in terms of fulfilling a lifetime goal. I was drawn to law because I wanted to help individual people and be able to accomplish specific, definable goals for them.”
Awards
David serves on the Board of Managers of the USA Chapter of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (elected 2004-2007 and 2011-current). He has also held the position of Treasurer of the American Academy of Matrimonial Law's Pennsylvania Chapter since 2006. David has held the position of Editor-in-Chief of the Pennsylvania Family Lawyer, the official quarterly publication of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Family Law Section, for the past 16 years.
David is listed in the most recent editions of Best Lawyers in America (Naifeh & Smith), the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (Martindale Hubbell), and Pennsylvania Super Lawyers (Thomsen Reuters). In addition, David was also recognized among Pennsylvania's legal elite and ranked in the Top 50 among Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Super Lawyers.
David was also named a Pennsylvania Bar Foundation Life Fellow during the 2006-2007 fiscal year.
CV
“I've wanted to practice law all my life and I'm clearly someone who got lucky in terms of fulfilling a lifetime goal. I was drawn to law because I wanted to help individual people and be able to accomplish specific, definable goals for them.”
News
May 13, 2013 — David S. Pollock, founding partner of family law firm Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC, has been named the recipient of the 2013 Special Achievement Award from the Pennsylvania Bar Association. View Full Release
March 14, 2013 — David S. Pollock, a founding partner of Downtown-based family law firm Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC, along with firm associate Robert D. Raver will present “Tax Aspects of Separation and Divorce,” an educational lecture series co-hosted by the Community College of Allegheny County and Pennsylvania State University. View Full Release
July 6, 2012 — With the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Family Law Section Summer Meeting only a week away, Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC attorneys are putting the finishing touches on their presentations. Each year, the PBA solicits attorneys from area firms to share their knowledge with others in the profession, and Pollock Begg is always happy to participate. This year, founding partner David S. Pollock and firm associate Joseph R. Williams will speak at the annual meeting, held July 12-15 in Hershey, Pa. View Full Release (PDF)
January 10, 2012 — David S. Pollock and Brian C. Vertz will speak at the 2012 Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Family Law Section Winter Meeting this month. Vertz will present in a session, “Difficult Cases – Difficult Issues,” addressing issues that arise in high-profile cases. Pollock and Vertz will each speak as part of the American Association of Matrimonial Lawyers Program entitled “Hot Tips Regarding Ethical Dilemmas for the Family Law Attorney.” The meeting will be held in St. Petersburg, Fla., from January 13-16, 2012. For more information, visit www.pabar.org or call the PBA.
Pollock and Vertz are both partners at Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC, a Pittsburgh-based firm dedicated to family law. With 14 attorneys, Pollock Begg is the largest boutique firm focusing solely on family law in Pennsylvania. Both Pollock and Vertz are requested frequently to lecture on issues such as child custody, spousal support, equitable distribution and other family law and divorce litigation issues.
Select Publications and Presentations
- Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Family Law Section Winter Meeting, “Hot Tips Regarding Ethical Dilemmas for the Family Law Attorney.” 2012.
- Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Family Law Section Winter Meeting, “Death During Divorce: Issues You Haven’t Even Thought Of.” 2010.
- Author/Lecturer, Penn State University, “Tax Aspects of Separation and Divorce.” 2010.
- Author/Lecturer, Community College of Allegheny County, Continuing Legal Education, “Tax Aspects of Separation and Divorce.” 2005 – present.
- Co-Editor/Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, “Drafting Marital Settlement Agreements.” 2009, 2003, 1999.
- Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, “E-Mail and the Internet in a Domestic Relations Practice.” 2009.
- Lecturer/Co-Author, Pennsylvania Bar Association, “Property Settlement Agreements.” 2008.
- Lecturer, PAICPA, “Amendments to Divorce Code, Equitable Distribution and Double-Dipping.” 2008.
- Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, "With Friends Like These: Issues in Real Property Ownership Among Unmarried Individuals.” 2007.
- Co-Author, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, “Fundamentals of Family Law: Child Support, Spousal Support and Alimony Pendente Lite.” 2005.
Other Media Appearances
- Pittsburgh Business Times, “What types of features do you require in a car?” by Louis A. Corsaro, Jan. 25, 2013.
“You can't always undo the mess people get into, and we all get into messes, but you can make life better for them as they go through it.”
Affiliations & Memberships
David is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Editor-in-Chief of Pennsylvania Family Lawyer, the official publication of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Family Law Section, Past Chair of the PBA Family Law Section, Past Chair of the ACBA Family Law Section, current Treasurer of the AAML Pa Chapter (a position he has held since July 2006), and current member of the Board of Managers of IAML USA Chapter.
He is or was previously involved in the following:
- Arthur E. Pollock MD Penn State University Altoona Campus Scholarship Fund – David S. Pollock Trustee
- Ivyside Society of the Penn State University Altoona Campus
- Irving Jaffe and Judith Jaffe Pollock Emma Kaufmann Camp Scholarship Fund
- Melvin Pollock CCAC Boyce Campus Educational Foundation Scholarship Fund
- Larry Pollock Scholarship Endowment at CCAC Boyce Campus Scholarship Fund
- Robert Pollock Memorial – Respiratory Care Scholarship at the Community College of Baltimore County
- United Jewish Federation
- Allegheny County Bar Foundation
- Pennsylvania Bar Foundation
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Foundation
- Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera
- Pittsburgh Public Theater
- Temple Sinai – (Rita) Past President, board of directors and numerous committee chairs including long range committee; dsp advisor/counselor, Brotherhood and Intergenerational Choir
- East End Cooperative Ministries – (Rita) Member of Executive Committee, Treasurer, Long Range Planning Committee
- Catholic Charities
- Jubilee Soup Kitchen
- Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank
- Jewish Community Center – (David) Past Treasurer and chair of numerous committees including budget and finance; Jaffe/Pollock Scholarship Fund founder
- Pennsylvania State University - Arthur E. Pollock, MD Scholarship Fund trustee
- National Council of Jewish Women - Special Recognition for Fundraising for Jane B. Lobl Children's Rooms through ACBA Family Law Section
- Duquesne University School of Law, Dean's Advisory Board
- United States Army Reserve - November 1970 to November 1976
- Oakland Rotary - Past Member 1976-1995, Past Member of Board of Directors; Past Chair, Public Relations Committee; Past Chair, Community Service Committee
- Jewish Community Center - Board of Directors, June 1988-September 1997; Secretary, June, 1993 - June, 1995; Treasurer, June 1992 - 1993; Assistant Treasurer, June, 1991-June, 1992; Executive Committee, June, 1990-September, 1997; Chair, Emma Kaufmann Camp, 1991-1994; Chair, Henry Kaufmann Family Recreation Park, 1987-1990; Chair, Aquatics Committee, 1989-1990; Chair, Membership Committee, 1990-1991; Chair, Finance/Budget Committee, 1992-1993; Chair, JCC/West Penn Hospital Biathlon, August 18, 1991, August 16, 1992, August 15, 1993, August 21, 1994, August 20, 1995, August 25, 1996; Co-Chair, Development Committee, 1995; Co-Chair, Membership Appreciation Day, February 28, 1988; Masters Swimming Program, 1983-present; Ida and Samuel Latterman Volunteer Mitzvah Award, June, 1989; 1992-1997 committee assignments: Budget, Finance, Investment, Executive, Emma Kaufmann Camp, Henry Kaufmann Family Recreation Park, Aquatics, Development. 1998-present committee assignments: Budget and Finance Committee; Emma Kaufmann Camp Committee
- Jewish Community Center - Irving Jaffe and Judith Jaffe Pollock Emma Kaufmann Camp Scholarship Fund
- National Council of Jewish Women - Pittsburgh Section - Annual Fundraising for Jane B. Lobl Children's Rooms through ACBA Family Law Section; Advisory Roundtable
- Oakland Business and Civic Association - Past Member of Board of Directors; Founding Director and Attorney
- Temple Sinai - Intergenerational Choir; Board of Trustees 2009 - present; Past Member of Board of Trustees of Temple Brotherhood
“You can't always undo the mess people get into, and we all get into messes, but you can make life better for them as they go through it.”
On A Personal Note
When I am not at the office you can often find me spending time with family, friends, and community, and being physically active. I enjoy athletics that involve measured breathing — for the meditative and therapeutic effect — including yoga, swimming, bicycling, and water and snow skiing. I belong to a Masters swim group and can be found on long- and middle-distance bicycle treks. All that measured breathing comes in handy not only in my law practice, but also when I sing in the Temple Sinai Intergenerational Choir. When I am not at Temple Sinai, the Jewish Community Center, or in the neighborhood, you can find me at my office of course, or traveling with my wife — usually to New York City — visiting our sons, daughters-in-law and granddaughter.
“We treat our firm as a big family. We take a team approach to every single case. We're not particularly impressed with someone's title. Everyone has their own job to do and we all pitch in together to get the work done.”