SCHEDULE 13D

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.     )*

Ladder Capital Corp

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, par value $0.001

(Title of Class of Securities)

505743104

(CUSIP Number)

Jennifer Bellah Maguire

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

333 South Grand Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90071-3197

(213) 229-7986

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

February 11, 2014

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of Statement on Schedule 13D)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), checking the following box.  ¨

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

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This Schedule 13D relates to shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of Ladder Capital Corp, a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”).

The address of the Issuer’s principal executive offices is 345 Park Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, New York 10154.

Prior to the closing of the Issuer’s initial public offering (the “IPO”) of the Issuer’s Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (“A-Common”), upon the reorganization of the Issuer’s capital structure (the “Reorganization”), interests in two wholly-owned Delaware corporations holding interests in Ladder Capital Finance Holdings LLLP (“LCFH”) were exchanged by GI III-A and GI III-B, respectively, for shares of A-Common, and interests in LCFH held by Ladder Holdco, an entity wholly-owned by GI III, were exchanged for shares of the Issuer’s Class B Common Stock (“B-Common”) and limited partnership interests in LCFH (“Units,” and together with the A-Common and B-Common, the “Equity Interests”).

GI III, as the sole owner of Ladder Holdco, is the indirect beneficial owner of 13,987,509 shares of B-Common as of the date of this Schedule. Each share of B-Common held by GI III may be paired with one Unit and submitted to the Issuer for conversion into one share of A-Common, subject to the expiration of the lock-up period described in Item 4. GI III indirectly holds 13,987,509 Units as of the date of this Schedule. GI III-A is the record owner of 366,459 shares of A-Common as of the date of this Schedule. GI III- B is the record owner of 2,551,749 shares of A-Common as of the date of this Schedule. GI III’s and Ladder Holdco’s principal businesses are to pursue investments, and GI III-A and GI III-B are affiliated funds of GI III in the same business. GI GP LP is the general partner of GI III, GI III-A, and GI III-B. GI GP LP’s principal business is to act as the general partner of GI III, GI III-A, and GI III-B. GI Holdings is a limited partner of GI III, GI III-A, and GI III-B. GI Holdings’ principal business is to serve as a limited partner of GI III, GI III-A, and GI III-B. GI GP LLC is the general partner of each of GI GP LP and GI Holdings. GI GP LLC’s principal business is to act as the general partner of each of GI GP LP and GI Holdings.

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Due to their relationships with GI III, Ladder Holdco, GI III-A, and GI III-B, each of GI GP LP, GI Holdings, and GI GP LLC may be deemed to have shared voting and investment power with respect to the Equity Interests. As such, GI III, Ladder Holdco, GI III-A, GI III-B, GI GP LP, GI Holdings, and GI GP LLC may be deemed to have shared beneficial ownership over such Equity Interests. Each of GI III, Ladder Holdco, GI III-A, GI III-B, GI GP LP, GI Holdings, and GI GP LLC, however, disclaims beneficial ownership of such Equity Interests as to which they are not the record owner, except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein, if any.

The names of the persons controlling GI GP LLC are set forth on Schedule 1, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present principal occupation of each of the persons controlling GI GP LLC is set forth on Schedule 1, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Immediately prior to the closing of the IPO of its A-Common, the Issuer effectuated the Reorganization, in which interests held by the Reporting Persons were exchanged for shares of the Issuer’s A-Common, B-Common, and Units of LCFH. The interests indirectly held by GI III, GI III-A, and GI III-B prior to the Reorganization had been acquired using working capital.

The Reporting Persons acquired, and presently hold, the Equity Interests for investment purposes. The Reporting Persons intend to participate in the management of the Issuer through

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their representation on the Issuer’s board of directors. For further information, see Items 2 and 6 hereof.

Pursuant to a registration rights agreement entered into by the Issuer and Ladder Holdco on September 22, 2008, as amended and restated concurrently with the closing of the IPO (as amended, the “Amended Registration Rights Agreement”), Ladder Holdco holds certain registration rights with respect to securities of the Issuer, as discussed in the following paragraph. For further information, see Item 6 hereof, and the Amended Registration Rights Agreement filed herewith as Exhibit 7.2.

Ladder Holdco, GI III-A, and GI III-B (collectively, the “Investors”) have agreed, pursuant to a lock-up agreement with the underwriters to the IPO (the “Lock-up Agreement”), that they will not, directly or indirectly, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale, or otherwise dispose of any shares of A-Common, or any options or warrants to purchase any shares of A-Common, or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive shares of A-Common, including any Units, or any such substantially similar securities. For further information, see Item 6 hereof.

Except as disclosed in this Item 4, none of the Investors, nor any of the other Reporting Persons, has any current plans or proposals which relate to or would result in any of the events described in clauses (a) through (j) of the instructions to Item 4 of Schedule 13D. The Reporting Persons, however, will take such actions with respect to the Reporting Persons’ investments in the Issuer as deemed appropriate in light of existing circumstances from time to time and reserve the right to acquire or dispose of securities of the Issuer, to enter into hedging relationships with respect to such securities, or to formulate other purposes, plans or proposals in the future depending on market conditions and/or other factors.

(a) and (b)

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Immediately prior to the closing of the IPO, the Issuer effectuated the Reorganization (as described more fully in Item 3), resulting in, among other things, GI III-A and GI III-B owning shares of the Issuer’s A-Common, and Ladder Holdco owning shares of the Issuer’s B-Common and Units in LCFH. In connection with these transactions, the Investors and certain other shareholders of the Issuer entered into the Amended Registration Rights Agreement and the Lock-up Agreement.

Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Limited Partnership Agreement of LCFH (the “LLLP Agreement”), entered into in connection with the closing of the IPO, beginning August 5, 2014, holders of Units and B-Common may, from time to time, exchange Units paired with an equal number of shares of B-Common for shares of A-Common on a one-for-one basis, subject to customary conversion rate adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends, and reclassifications. This exchange right has no expiration date. For further information, see the LLLP Agreement filed herewith as Exhibit 7.1.

Pursuant to the Amended Registration Rights Agreement, the Investors hold “demand” registration rights exercisable commencing six months after the closing of the IPO, whereby the Investors may require the Issuer to use its best efforts to register their shares of A-Common for resale under the Act. Pursuant to the Amended Registration Rights Agreement, the Investors hold piggy-back registration rights giving the Investors the right to include their shares of A-Common in a registration statement of the Issuer in any subsequent public offerings. Additionally, the Issuer is required to bear the registration expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, associated with any such registration of shares. In connection with any registration of the Issuer’s securities and upon the request of the Issuer and the underwriters managing any underwritten offering of the Issuer’s securities, the Investors agreed in the Amended Registration Rights Agreement not to sell, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale of any equity securities of the Issuer, or any securities convertible into

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or exchangeable or exercisable for any such equity securities for up to three months beginning on the effective date of the final prospectus without the prior written consent of the Issuer or such underwriters. For further information, see the Amended Registration Rights Agreement filed herewith as Exhibit 7.2.

Each Investor has agreed, pursuant to the Lock-up Agreement, not to offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise dispose of any shares of A-Common, or any options or warrants to purchase any shares of A-Common, or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive shares of A-Common, including any Units, or any such substantially similar securities for a period of six months beginning on the effective date of the final prospectus filed in connection with the IPO. The Lock-up Agreement also prohibits each Investor from entering into swap or other arrangements that transfer any of the economic consequences associated with ownership of A-Common, and from making any demand for, or exercising any right with respect to, the registration of shares of A-Common. The Lock-up Agreement requires the prior written consent of certain underwriters to take any of the above described actions.

The foregoing summaries do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the Amended Registration Rights Agreement filed herewith as Exhibit 7.2, and incorporated herein by reference.

Other than the matters disclosed above in response to Items 4 and 5 and this Item 6, none of the Reporting Persons is party to any contracts, arrangements, understandings or relationships with respect to any securities of the Issuer, including but not limited to the transfer or voting of any of the securities, finder’s fees, joint ventures, loan or option agreements, puts or calls, guarantees of profits, division of profits or loss, or the giving or withholding of proxies.

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SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this Schedule 13D is true, complete and correct.

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EXHIBIT INDEX

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SCHEDULE 1

GI GP LLC Controlling Persons

Exhibit 7.3

Joint Filing Agreement

dated as of February 21, 2014

This will confirm the agreement by and among all the undersigned that the Statement on Schedule 13D filed on or about February 21, 2014, and any further amendments thereto with respect to beneficial ownership by the undersigned of shares of the Class A Common Stock (“A-Common”) of Ladder Capital Corp (the “Issuer”), shares of Class B Common Stock of the Issuer (“B-Common”), limited partnership interests of Ladder Capital Finance Holdings LLLP, and such other securities of the Issuer that the undersigned may acquire or dispose of from time to time, is filed on behalf of all the undersigned. This agreement is being filed on behalf of each of the undersigned in accordance with Rule 13d-1(k)(1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

The undersigned further agree that each party hereto is responsible for timely filing of such Statement on Schedule 13D and any further amendments thereto, and for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning such party contained therein; provided, that no party is responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning any other party, unless such party knows or has reason to believe that such information is inaccurate. The undersigned further agree that this Agreement shall be included as an Exhibit to such joint filing.

This agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

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Exhibit 7.4

IDENTIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP

The following filing persons may be deemed to be members of a “group” under Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended:

GI Partners Fund III L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.

GI Ladder Holdco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

GI Partners Fund III-A L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.

GI Partners Fund III-B L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.

Exhibit 7.5

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents, that each of the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Cary Anderson, Bethany Peterson, and Jenny McGinnis, signing singly, as the undersigned’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned’s capacity as a beneficial owner of the shares of Common Stock of Ladder Capital Corp, a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”), the Statement on Schedule 13D (or Schedule 13G, if applicable) in accordance with Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules thereunder;

(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Statement on Schedule 13D (or Schedule 13G, if applicable) and all amendment(s) thereto and timely file such form with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and

(3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-fact’s discretion.

The undersigned hereby grant to such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact’s substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein granted. The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Issuer assuming, any of the undersigned’s responsibilities to comply with Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the undersigned is no longer required to file a Statement on Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G with respect to the undersigned’s holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Issuer, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be executed as of this 21^st day of February, 2014.

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