Our Firm

The attorneys of Kats, van der Veen & Associates are a dedicated team of professionals who can help you with your legal needs. We are large enough to handle even the most complex litigation, but still small enough to give you and your case the individual attention you deserve.

We specialize in helping those who have been hurt by another’s negligence, including catastrophic injuries, car accidents, medical malpractice, or an unsafe product. Our professionals also have extensive experience defending those accused of a crime, including capital crimes, and can help individuals and companies with their real estate, immigration, Social Security, and Family law needs.

Founded in 1986 by Marina Kats, our firm is led by Marina Kats, Michael T. van der Veen & Associates. Among our attorneys are multiple “Pennsylvania Super Lawyers” and a pair of Legal Masters (LLMs) in Trial Advocacy.

Twenty years after we opened our doors, our successes have grown with the size of our firm. In recent years, our attorneys have won multiple seven figure awards for clients, including for child hit by a tractor trailer while crossing the street, and numerous “not guilty” verdicts.  

The Founder

Marina Kats is the founder and a shareholder in the firm. She was born and raised in Kiev, Ukraine and in 1979, moved to Philadelphia, PA where she attended Temple University and graduated cum laude in 1985. Marina received her law degree from the Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law in 1988 and became one of only a handful of women nationally with a legal masters degree when she received her LLM in Trial Advocacy from Temple’s law school in 1995.

Aside from her pursuits in the law, Marina is a successful businesswoman, serving as the general managing partner of a real estate ventures and commercial projects. She also is the principal owner of a financial services company that provides funding and financial services for independent businesses and joint ventures.

Marina has lectured at Temple University, at other Philadelphia area schools and the New Jersey State Bar Association.

For her many successes in business and law, Marina was selected “One of the 50 Best Business women in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania” by Governor Ridge in 1997 and she has been featured in Philadelphia Magazine as a “Philadelphia Super Lawyer”, and as “Woman of the Year” by Philly Magazine. Other honors include her naming as “Woman of the Year” by the Bucks County YMCA and as "Consumer Advocate of the Year" for the past three consecutive years.

In addition to her commitment to the law and to her many business ventures, Marina also is actively involved with a number of charitable and civic organizations. Among the boards she sits on are those of Albert Einstein Hospital, the Einstein Society, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) and the Advisory Board to the President of Temple University. She is a member of the American Diabetes Association, the Temple Law Alumni and was a Charter Member of the law school’s Centennial. Additionally, Ms. Kats was actively involved in the Philadelphia Committee to End Homelessness. Ms. Kats currently is the President of the Russian-American Chamber of Commerce and she conducts regular lectures to its members on legal and civic issues.

Marina is a member of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York, Washington, D.C. and New Jersey Bar Associations and the Philadelphia Trial Lawyer’s Association.