A local law firm headed by an openly lesbian managing partner was recently recognized by a pro-bono legal-services agency for its longtime volunteer representation of underprivileged Philadelphians.
Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Program presented its Justice William J. Brennan Jr. Award to Willig, Williams & Davidson, a local labor-union firm, at a ceremony last month.
Deborah Willig, managing partner of the firm, has been involved with Philadelphia VIP since its inception in the 1980s and previously served on its board of governors.
Willig, who in 1992 became the first female chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, said her firm has a longstanding relationship with VIP and pro-bono work in general.
She cited the quote, “To whom much is given, much is expected,” to explain why the 39 attorneys at her firm take on pro-bono projects frequently.
“I think being a lawyer is one of the greatest professions on earth,” she said. “Our country is founded on the rule of the law and unfortunately there are some people who need a lawyer’s protection but can’t afford to retain one, and I think it’s everyone’s obligation to participate in pro-bono work.”
Willig said VIP specifically recognized the firm for the recent work done by Kristine Phillips, a partner in the firm’s legal-services department, with the Philadelphia Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program, representing clients facing home foreclosure.
Phillips’ efforts earned her a mention in a front-page story in the New York Times about the city’s efforts to stave off home foreclosure.
Willig said Phillips’ colleagues weren’t even aware of the extent of her foreclosure work until they read it in the Times, which she said is symbolic of her firm’s philosophy about pro-bono work.
“We didn’t even know anything about her participation in this program until we read the New York Times. People in this firm are strong believers in public services and pro-bono work as a matter of course. They don’t have to be asked, they just volunteer and donate dozens or hundreds of hours in any given year because it’s just the right thing to do. And it’s not something that they walk around and say, ‘Look what I’ve done,’ they just do it.”
Sara Woods, executive director of Philadelphia VIP, said her agency selected the firm because its efforts embody the spirit of VIP’s mission.
“The firm’s attorneys stand out through their tireless participation in Philadelphia’s Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program,” Woods said. “Consistently volunteering at conciliation conferences through VIP, Willig’s attorneys have advocated for those facing homelessness, bringing stability to both our clients and the communities in which they live.”
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].