Philadelphia VIP Honors Willig, Williams & Davidson for Extraordinary Pro Bono Efforts

April 13, 2010 - PRLog -- Philadelphia union-side labor law firm Willig, Williams & Davidson was honored with the Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. Award at the annual Philadelphia VIP (Volunteers for the Indigent Program) Awards Ceremony held on March 10, 2010, at the Ceremonial Courtroom in Philadelphia’s City Hall. The award recognizes the extraordinary time and effort Willig, Williams & Davidson attorneys have dedicated to VIP, a legal services organization that serves more than 1,500 low-income Philadelphians each year.  

“Our lawyers recognize the importance of giving back to the community and the profession by donating time and expertise to civic, charitable, educational and related organizations,” said Managing Partner Deborah R. Willig, Esq. “We are proud of our longstanding tradition of providing pro bono services to Philadelphia VIP, which offers crucial legal assistance to those who cannot afford an attorney. One of the highlights of our relationship with VIP is the work that our partner, Kristine Phillips, performs for the Philadelphia Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program. Through this program and VIP, Kristine has helped numerous homeowners who fell victim to predatory lending schemes remain in their homes.”

Established in 2008, Philadelphia’s mortgage foreclosure program helps low-income Philadelphia residents facing foreclosure and possible homelessness by providing free legal representation and the opportunity to negotiate with lenders to save their homes. Through VIP, Phillips routinely provides such representation to individuals who cannot afford to hire a lawyer. According to VIP, more than 1,000 volunteers responded to nearly 2,500 requests for assistance with a wide range of civil legal problems last year, including foreclosure.

Phillips is a partner in Willig, Williams & Davidson’s Legal Services Department. She concentrates her practice in residential and commercial real estate, counseling and representing clients in matters including sales, acquisitions and landlord-tenant disputes. In addition to maintaining her busy legal practice and providing pro bono representation, she serves as an arbitrator for the Philadelphia Arbitration Center.

Willig, Williams & Davidson is one of the largest and most respected union-side labor law firms in the United States. The firm’s accomplished and diverse legal team focuses on representing labor unions, employee benefit funds, individual working people and their families. The firm’s attorneys are encouraged to donate their time and expertise to a variety of professional and community organizations. Firm members have won numerous awards for their contributions that benefit the greater good of the Delaware Valley community, and many have achieved leadership positions in the organizations they serve. The organizations benefiting from the firm’s lawyers’ efforts include the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee, Animal Welfare League, Church of the Good Shepherd, Development Corporation for Israel, Homeless Advocacy Project, Philadelphia Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program, Senior Law Center and many more. For further information regarding the firm’s dedication to community service, please visit the “About Us” section of www.wwdlaw.com.

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About Willig, Williams & Davidson – Willig, Williams & Davidson (www.wwdlaw.com) is one of the largest and most respected union-side labor law firms in the United States. Founded in 1979, the firm focuses on representing labor unions, employee benefit funds, individual working people and their families on a variety of legal fronts, including national, regional and local contract negotiations; dispute resolution through mediation, arbitration and litigation; tax and benefit law compliance issues; discrimination and other employment matters; advocacy for injured workers; and prepaid legal services for union members.