About David
David Dessen built his legal foundation at Marietta College, earning a B.A. in 1969. He continued his studies at Temple University Beasley School of Law, graduating with a J.D. in 1973. He returned to Temple for graduate work and completed a Master of Arts in Trial Advocacy in 1994. Those years shaped a courtroom practitioner comfortable with both theory and practice.
His career has spanned private practice and firm leadership. In 1984 he became managing partner of Dessen, Moses & Rossitto, a role that placed him squarely in the business of running a law firm as well as litigating. Later he joined Stephen Bilkis & Associates as of counsel. The move to of counsel often suits senior lawyers who want to continue handling cases and mentoring younger attorneys without the administrative load of firm management.
Dessen holds memberships in several federal and state jurisdictions. He is admitted to practice before the Third Circuit, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. He also maintains standing in Pennsylvania and in federal district courts across the Commonwealth, including the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts. Those admissions reflect a practice that has navigated trial and appellate work over many years.
The record shows a lawyer comfortable in both trial courts and appellate settings. His M.A. in Trial Advocacy underscores courtroom skills developed after his initial law degree. Over decades of practice he has handled matters that required appearances in district courts and on appeal. He has also been involved in bar and professional organizations; he has been a member of the Pennsylvania Bar and served on the board of the American Prepaid Legal Services Institute.
Colleagues describe a steady presence who balances casework with institutional participation. He has combined firm leadership and later of counsel responsibilities in a career that spans more than four decades. That arc gives him experience in case strategy, courtroom procedure and firm governance.
As of 2026 he continues to serve as of counsel at Stephen Bilkis & Associates and maintains ties to Dessen, Moses & Rossitto. His current work remains concentrated on litigation and appellate matters in both Pennsylvania and federal courts.
