William John Phelan IV

William J. Phelan, IV is the Litigation Partner for the Philadelphia office of the national domestic relations law firm of Cordell & Cordell, P.C. He advocates in various areas of family law, including, but not limited to, divorce, prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements, child custody and support, equitable distribution, spousal support, alimony, adoptions and termination of parental rights, and domestic violence protection. In addition to being a seasoned trial attorney, he serves as a member of the firm’s Appellate Practice Division, handling his own appeals in Pennsylvania and assisting other attorneys with their appeals to various intermediate and high-level courts.

Mr. Phelan is active with the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Family Law Section, Appellate Advocacy Committee, and is currently the Chair of the Disability Services Committee. He was President of the Doris Jonas Freed Matrimonial American Inn of Court (2021-22) and served on its executive board for several years. He is a Council Member of the Brehon Law Society (a legal organization comprised of attorneys and judges of Irish ancestry). He has been selected to: the Irish Legal 100 in 2019 and 2023 to 2024; the 2022 Appellate Lawyers; Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2022 (for a total of five years); The National Advocates Top 100 List; National Academy of Family Law Attorneys’ Top 10 Under 40 Attorneys; and the 10 Best Family Law Attorneys for Client Satisfaction in Pennsylvania by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys. Within his firm, Mr. Phelan volunteers as a mentor for other attorneys regarding development of their litigation and appellate skills.

He presents and is published frequently on the topics of family law and disability rights. Mr. Phelan is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. District Courts for Eastern Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. He graduated magna cum laude from The Catholic University of America earning a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Civilizations and then a Master of Arts in Congressional and Presidential Studies (Politics). He earned his Juris Doctor, with a certificate in Law and Public Policy, from The Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law. During law school, Mr. Phelan served as a Senior Editor for The Journal of Contemporary Health Law & Policy. Mr. Phelan attended the American Bar Association’s Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute. He is a proud graduate of La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor, PA. Mr. Phelan volunteers on the leadership committee for Project Magis, a group of legal and financial services professionals who fundraise for local community support and charitable programs. Previously, he was President of the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities Appeal of Greater Philadelphia (serving on its board from 2016 to 2022).