String dn = "CN=Jimmy Blooptoop,OU=Someplace,OU=Employees,DC=Bloopsoft-Inc"; LdapName ln = new LdapName(dn); for(Rdn rdn : ln.getRdns()) { if(rdn.getType().equalsIgnoreCase("CN")) { System.err.println("CN is: " + rdn.getValue()); break; } }