Jay H. Ginsburg, longtime adoption attorney, family advocate, lecturer, and teacher, has died at 76

Jay H. Ginsburg, 76, of Gwynedd Valley, longtime adoption attorney, family advocate, lecturer, and teacher, died Tuesday, Sept. 20, of acute myeloid leukemia at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Inspired as a young attorney to aid children, prospective parents, and agencies in the adoption process and other family matters, Mr. Ginsburg became what he called an “adoption advocate” and focused his celebrated 34-year legal career on what his family described as “assisting children in finding their forever family.”

A former adoption client said in an online tribute that Mr. Ginsburg was “kind, caring, and compassionate“ and “like a father figure throughout the whole process.” His son, Alex, said: “He connected with people. He loved the law, loved serving others, and loved children.”

Mr. Ginsburg earned his law degree from the Delaware Law School at Widener University in 1988 and spent the next three-and-half decades teaching, lecturing, and working on adoption, juvenile, and other family-related matters in Philadelphia and around the region.

He represented thousands of clients in adoption cases and served as interim juvenile master for delinquency and truancy cases in Philadelphia Family Court, and special master for civil litigation in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. He served on advisory committees for the Montgomery Child Advocacy Project and the Statewide Adoption Network, and was a fellow at the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, the Delaware Valley Adoptions Council, and other groups.

He called his practice Adoption Advocates, and his family marveled at how often he received intimate updates from families and agencies he had helped. One former adoption client said he “makes things as easy as possible for you during such a special time.” In an online tribute, the client said: “Our daughter wanted everyone to wear capes on her special day. He wore his without hesitation.”

Mr. Ginsburg appeared on TV shows and lectured widely about child abuse and adoption issues, including at Villanova Law School and seminars for bar associations in Philadelphia, Montgomery County, and Delaware County. He received awards and commendations for his work, and a former client said in a online tribute: “He advocates as if every client is him.”

Born Jan. 31, 1946, in Philadelphia, Mr. Ginsburg grew up in Mount Airy and Cheltenham, and graduated from Cheltenham High School. He was active with the Boy Scouts and Civil Air Patrol as a young man and liked to drive and tinker with his 1958 sea foam green Corvette.

Eclectic in his educational interests, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science at Temple University, studied Asian and Middle Eastern languages and civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania, and received a doctorate in history from the University of Sarasota in 1976.

He later taught political science, history, and international relations at Penn State Abington and Montgomery County Community College.

He was a doo-wop singer as a teenager, joined the ROTC in college, and worked at first with his father in real estate before entering law school. “He followed his interests,” his son said. “When he found something he liked, he threw himself into it.”

Mr. Ginsburg married Linda Spector, and they had daughters Amy and Melanie, and son Justin. After a divorce, he met Sherry Weiner through a mutual friend, and they married in 1984, and had sons Alexander and Reid. Justin died earlier, and Mr. Ginsburg adopted Sherry’s son, Matthew.

Away from work, Mr. Ginsburg spent summers with family and friends at his home in Ventnor. He liked classical music and British mystery shows, collected books about the law and history, and was especially interested in the Magna Carta and U.S. Constitution.

He was president of the Philadelphia Flag Day Association and past president of the Greater Roxborough lodge of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania Sons and Daughters of Italy. His personal warmth, sense of humor, dapper style, and signature mustache left deep impressions on his family and friends.

Ever the advocate, he even took recent calls from clients in his hospital bed. “His work gave him purpose and great pride and joy,” his family said in a tribute.

He doted on Melba, his Australian Labradoodle, and his favorite sentiment was: “Pay heed to the little one that holds onto thy hand for this is the task of mankind.”

In addition to his wife, children, and former wife, Mr. Ginsburg is survived by eight grandchildren, two brothers, and other relatives.

Services were Sept. 23.

Donations in his name may be made to the Montgomery Child Advocacy Project, 409 Cherry St., Norristown, Pa. 19401.