When people exchange vows, promising to remain together through the good times and bad times, sickness and health, they are not doing so under the assumption that their marriage will end in divorce. Unfortunately, the odds are that approximately half of all such couples will suffer such an unfortunate end to their marriage, and the resulting fallout affects every aspect of the couples’ lives (emotional, financial, professional, etc.) and certainly their children’s lives, whenever children are involved. Whether divorce happens early in the marriage or later in the marriage, it is a profound change. Zlock & Coverdale P.C., which has offices in Newtown and Doylestown, is ready to guide clients through this stage of their lives, seeking to leave them in a solid place from which to take the next step.
Over the course of the last few years, change has been a theme for Zlock & Coverdale as well. The firm has expanded and now has more attorneys, new offices and additional areas of practices beyond the scope of family law. All of this development occurs with the goal to serve the firm’s clients better and more comprehensively. “What hasn’t changed is that our focus is always on our clients and their needs,” says Kevin M. Zlock, whose practice is rooted in family law. “From our paralegals to our attorneys, we are extremely service-oriented. We are committed to immediate response to all of our clients. We even give out our cell phone numbers to clients to maximize our availability—on weekends, holidays, evenings—because emergencies don’t always happen during traditional business hours.”
Kevin’s partner, Katherine (Kate) V. Coverdale, who also focuses on family law, agrees: “Zlock & Coverdale is not an 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. kind of firm. There is always someone a client can access here, even if the client’s primary attorney in unavailable for some reason (in court, in an appointment, etc.). We have a comprehensive, team approach to helping our clients, and we have an integrated database management system that enables this to take place, so another attorney can tell a client, ‘Here’s what’s happening with your case,’ if needed. Rather than having to rely on one person to his or her detriment, a client is going to have access to someone who can help them at all times.”
Allowing this team approach to develop are the firm’s new additions, Brian A. Coverdale and Russell J. Manning.
Brian, who is licensed in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, is a litigator and joins Kevin and Kate in assisting the firm’s family law clients. Along with servicing the firm’s base clientele, he is focusing on developing the firm’s same-sex partnership practice, given the important and significant legal developments that have taken place in this area. He will lead the firm as it scouts for new office locations in Lambertville, N.J., to serve the needs of residents in New Jersey, as well as those located directly across the river in New Hope. Beyond family law, he also has significant experience in accident and injury liability, having worked for major corporations in this field; this experience allows the firm to add personal injury and workers’ compensation to its practice areas of focus.
Russell joins the firm after having completed a clerkship with the Honorable James M. McMaster of the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas. Like Brian, Russell will continue to aid the firm in enhancing its family law practice, but beyond that, he will add land-use law to the firm’s practice areas, an area in which he has notable experience from his time as Judge McMaster’s law clerk, when he assisted the judge in drafting opinions and doing legal research on a wide variety of issues, including those relating to municipal law.
“Having Brian and Russell come aboard has been a great thing,” says Kate. “Not only are they great people to work with on a daily basis, but they also are highly qualified individuals who will benefit our clients. Each of us has a unique background and skill set, but we all complement each other, which enhances our clients’ experience.”
As far as her background and skill set, Kate is licensed to represent clients in Pennsylvania, and later this year she will be licensed to practice in New Jersey as well. In addition to being a family law attorney, she is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and halfway through earning her Master of Laws degree in taxation from New York University School of Law, a credential that will benefit her clients, especially in divorces involving substantial marital estates. Kate’s comprehensive background will afford her a much broader perspective of a client’s situation, uniquely positioning her to represent a wide range of prospective clients.
“I like the idea of helping people get to the next step of their lives,” Kate says. “A lot of times, what we’re doing is setting people up with a foundation for moving forward. Whether you’re the income-inferior spouse or the income-superior spouse, a divorce breaks up the combined marital estate, and that can be a scary thing. We explain to our clients that while both sides technically will have less going forward, they still can have a solid foundation for the future, and it can be a new beginning.
“In each case,” she continues, “we have to present the whole spectrum of possibilities to the client, from the worst-case scenario to the best-case scenario, just so they know all the possibilities and are prepared. However, we’re going to fight to get as much as the law will provide.”
In addition to its work on behalf of clients, the firm supports causes that are near and dear to its attorneys’ hearts—namely, military veterans and education. In 2011, for example, the firm established the Kevin Zlock Veterans Family Endowment Fund at Bucks County Community College, which provides tuition assistance and other resources to veterans seeking an education. Also, the firm recently provided $200,000 to Princeton Day School: $100,000 for the Scholarship Fund, which provides need-based financial aid for outstanding children to pursue a quality education at the school, regardless of their financial circumstances; and another $100,000 for the Faculty Fund, which supports the school’s faculty in their pursuit of creating and teaching interdisciplinary courses and promotes student independent research in the Upper School. The firm supplements both funds over the course of five years with an Annual Fund of $50,000. Lastly, the firm also donated $25,000 to Council Rock High School to support students’ extracurricular activities, particularly those associated with the sciences.
“My wife, Sima, and I both benefited from other people’s generosity when we were coming up,” says Kevin. “Just like we did at Bucks County Community College, with the other schools we support, it’s about helping those who need help.
“We’ve had a very busy couple of years at the firm,” he continues. “Everything we’ve done has been about bringing new experience and new expertise to the table, and with every client, we’re always looking out for their best interests. Clients know they can trust us with their hard-earned dollars, and we’re obligated to earn that trust.”
Zlock & Coverdale P.C.
www.bucksdivorcelawyers.com | 215-968-1800 | 866-491-2379
Two Area Offices
1705 Langhorne-Newtown Road, Suites 1, 2, 5 and 6
Langhorne, PA 19047
123 N. Broad Street, First Floor, Suite A
Doylestown, PA 18901
Photography by Rob Hall
