He was elected Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney in 1986, defeating incumbent Bill Griffies.
[1][2] One of Ladenburg's principal accomplishments in office was spearheading the development of Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place, a municipal facility that hosted the 2010 United States Amateur and 2015 U.S. Open golf championships.
[3][4][5] The US Open at Chambers Bay had an economic impact of $134 million for the regional economy.
[8] Ladenburg served as the interim administrator of the Pierce County Juvenile Court in late 2013.
His brother, David Ladenburg, is a retired municipal court judge in Tacoma.