$ 350-400 per hour
My practice primarily is in Delaware, with some work in Pennsylvania. I focus on civil litigation (commercial, construction accident and contract litigation, premises liability, and toxic tort defense), bankruptcy litigation (creditor representation and adversary case defense), and business formation.
I was born in Washington, Pennsylvania (south of Pittsburgh). My father was a welder at a steel plant and my mother was a legal secretary and homemaker.
I came to Philadelphia in 1976 to attend the University of Pennsylvania. I majored in History and earned a B.A., magna cum laude, in 1980. I then attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School and earned a J.D. in 1983.
During law school I worked for a summer in the Philadelphia City Solicitor’s Office. After graduating law school and taking the Pennsylvania bar exam, I worked at Swartz, Campbell & Detweiler from 1983 to 1995, first as an associate, then as a partner. The work primarily was defending personal injury lawsuits. After working in the firm’s Philadelphia office for ten years, I took the Delaware bar exam and shifted my practice to develop the firm’s Wilmington, Delaware, office. I was a founder and partner at McCullough & McKenty, P.A., in Wilmington from 1995 to 2007 and since then have been a partner at Philadelphia-based Bodell, Bové, Grace & Van Horn, P.C., (2007-2012) and Bodell Bové, LLC, (2012-present) in the firm’s Wilmington office.
My pro bono legal activities include representing children as guardian ad litem in Delaware's family court system and assisting Lutheran congregations and the regional synod in the Philadelphia area. In the community, as Community Service Chair I coordinate the after-school educational and cultural trips the Penn Class of 1980 alumni participate in with students from Sayre High School, an inner-city school in West Philadelphia. I serve on the board of directors of Curio Theatre Company (2010-present) and Cedar Park Neighbors community association (2009-2011). I was a board member 2003-2009 (chair 2004-2009) at The Christian Association at the University of Pennsylvania.
3
Practice Areas
$ 350-400 per hour
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Chat withState: Delaware
Acquired: 1992
No misconduct found
State: Pennsylvania
Acquired: 1983
No misconduct found
1225 N. King Street, Suite 1000, Wilmington, DE, 19801
5 Client Reviews
Showing 1 - 1 of 1 review | Professionalism
Posted by Alex | December 02, 2022 | Corporate & Incorporation
IT Startup Consulting
Very attentive and professional. I received comprehensive answers to questions that worried me before establishing a company in Delaware.
"Bruce is a highly-skilled, intelligent, hardworking attorney. He is experienced in many areas of the law and dedicates himself to his clients' positions. I endorse this lawyer."
Employment and labor lawyer
Workers compensation lawyer
2012 - Present
Partner, Bodell Bove, LLC
2007 - 2012
Partner, Bodell, Bove, Grace & Van Horn, P.C.
1995 - 2007
Partner, McCullough & McKenty, P.A.
1983 - 1995
Partner, Swartz, Campbell & Detweiler
1992 - Present
Delaware State Bar AssociationMember
2003 - 2020
American Bankruptcy InstituteMember
1983 - 2013
American Bar AssociationMember
I successfully presented the case at trial and also maintained the verdict when defendant appealed.
On appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court, I successfully defended a Motion for Summary Judgment that I had won in the trial court.
1983
JD - Juris Doctor
1980
BA - Bachelor of Arts
2020
Negotiation exercise for MBA students
2016
E-Discovery Developments
English
Legal Answers
How strong is my breach of contract case against a startup for ~$40k in unpaid consulting fees?
04 Mar 2026
Is there a state listing of LLC's and who is in them?
10 Sep 2025
I own a business in Delaware and am concerned that my partner might have created another bank account using my credentials
23 Mar 2025