About Joseph E. Cordell, Co-Founder, Principal Partner
In 1990, while practicing general law, Joseph E. Cordell, J.D., C.P.A., LL.M., P.F.S., realized most of his clients were coming to the Cordell & Cordell firm for domestic relations help.
“During the course of that experience I couldn’t help but notice the challenges consistently facing the guys side of the table when it comes to custody, maintenance issues, and accusations of domestic violence,” Mr. Cordell said. “I found in waging those fights that I enjoyed it more. So we proclaimed ourselves as a firm that devoted itself to representing men in domestic relations matters.”
Fighting for fathers’ rights is what motivated Mr. Cordell to become a divorce lawyer for men.
“I was galvanized by guys who were my clients and trying to get primary custody of their children. Even though they were the better parent, they still couldn’t get across the finish line in the courts,” Mr. Cordell said. “The more frustrated I became, the more incentivized I was to help them.”
Since co-founding the firm with his wife, Yvonne, Mr. Cordell and his team of more than 200 divorce lawyers have helped thousands of men going through divorce.
He is frequently featured in national media outlets, such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Time Magazine, and CNN. Please see “Media Appearances” below for a comprehensive list of Mr. Cordell’s online, print, radio, and TV interviews.
Mr. Cordell is also an adjunct faculty member at Washington University School of Law. Additionally, Mr. Cordell is the past president of the American Academy of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants and in 2017 was named President of the AAA-CPA Missouri Chapter.
Licenses
Mr. Cordell is licensed in Missouri and Illinois.
Education
He received his B.S. in Accountancy from Oklahoma State University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law.
Mr. Cordell is a graduate of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and holds a Missouri CPA license. He also received his LL.M. from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Awards
Mr. Cordell was named to the Missouri Lawyers Media Power List in 2020 and 2021 for his leadership within the Missouri legal community.
In 2019, Mr. Cordell was one of 27 attorneys from Missouri to receive an ICON Award from Missouri Lawyers Weekly for notable and sustained success and leadership both within and beyond the field of law.
Mr. Cordell was recognized by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys for his exceptional performance in family law by naming him one of the 10 Best Family Law Attorneys for Client Satisfaction in Missouri in 2015 and 2016.
The AIOFLA is a third-party attorney rating organization that publishes an annual list of the Top 10 Family Law Attorneys in each state.
Click here for AIOFLA selection criteria.
Publication
He is the founder MensDivorce.com and DadsDivorce.com, popular websites for divorced and divorcing fathers, where he contributes articles, videos and other divorce resources.
He is also the driving force behind MensRights.com, a website focused on empowering, educating and directing men to resources and advocates when their basic rights are violated or compromised because of their gender.
Mr. Cordell is the author of “Your Civil War: A Father’s Guide to Winning Child Custody” and “The 10 Stupidest Mistakes Men Make When Facing Divorce.”
Mr. Cordell has also written extensively on family law matters. His columns have appeared in the American Conservative, the St. Louis Metrovoice and on HuffingtonPost.com. View Mr. Cordell’s articles on divorce.
Mr. Cordell speaks at various seminars dealing with topics from domestic relations to bankruptcy to estate planning. He has also hosted numerous family law seminars for the public and fellow attorneys.
He was the keynote speaker at the 2014 AAA-CPA Fall Meeting & Education Conference and also participated on a panel about “Prenuptial Agreements – Representing the Economically Dominant and Weaker Parties.” (Click here to view pictures of the conference.)
Print Publications
USA Today
Saint Louis Post-Dispatch
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch on asset protection in cohabiting relationships
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch on “Keeping Judgment Hounds At Bay”
Additional Appearances
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- Time Magazine on divorcing while dying
- Time Magazine on Facebook and divorce
- German newsmagazine Die Welt on fathers rights
- Huffington Post Asks Joe Cordell: Why Don’t More Men Ask For Alimony?
- Common Mistakes Men Make When Facing Divorce
- Chicago Tribune on the rights of birth dads during adoption
- Cincinnati Enquirer on “Law Firm Growing With Niche: Men”
- The Impact Of Social Media On Divorce
- Crain’s Chicago Business: Family Business Survival Guide
- The New York Times on unemployment and its impact on child support
- Financial Advisor Magazine column
- Belleville News-Democrat on Ashley Madison hack
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on law firm’s finding niche representing men
- New York Times on how the debate over brain injuries in football is factoring into more child custody disputes
Online Publications
CNN
- CNN on divorcing in the recession
FOX News
Men’s Health
Business Insider
Huffington Post
- Huffington Post columnist, August 2014
- Huffington Post columnist, June 2014
- Huffington Post columnist
Additional Appearances
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- Bloomberg.com on “The Real Cost of a Divorce”
- Joe Cordell Critiques Child Support System In Huffington Post
- St. Louis Business Journal’s list of Who’s Who in law
- MSN.com on Ashley Madison data breach
- Yahoo! Finance on Ashley Madison data breach
- Thrillist.com on Ashley Madison data dump
- The Guardian on the rise of fathers’ rights law firms
Radio Publications
Bloomberg Radio
Fox News Radio
Additional Appearances
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- Joe Cordell Speaks With New York Times About Football And Custody Disputes
- Crain’s Chicago Business Features Joe Cordell’s Family Business Survival Guide
- KTRS 550 in St. Louis on why marriage, divorce rates are down
- Joe Discusses Taxes in Financial Advisor -Cordell & Cordell
- WIBA radio in Wisconsin on divorce rights for men
- Joe Cordell Shares The Truth About Prenups With Huffington Post
- K104 in Dallas Discusses Cordell & Cordell’s ‘Life Mission’
- Financial Advisors as Expert Witnesses in Divorce Cases
- WBBM’s Noon Business Hour, Personal Finance Wednesday segment
- WNTP Philadelphia Mark Daniels Show, Previewing Men’s Divorce School events
- Charlie Brennan Show on 1120 KMOX in St. Louis
- WNIS Tony Macrini Show, Previewing Men’s Divorce School events
- 700WLW Cincinnati, Discusses Gender Biases In Child Support
- Today’s Issues on issues in family law
- WNIS 790 AM-Norfolk on various divorce issues
- KCMO-Kansas City on fathers’ rights
Television Publications
Fox & Friends
Fox Business Network
- Stuart Varney on the impact the Ashley Madison data breach could have on divorce attorneys
- Stuart Varney on the fallout of the Ashley Madison data dump
- Stuart Varney on why January is “divorce month”
Additional Appearances
