Patricia Santelle

Patricia Santelle is a Partner and Chair Emeritus. Her bio is available here.

A newfound commitment to pro bono

One of the privileges of serving as the Managing Partner of White and Williams for seven years was to have the opportunity to work with the pro bono organizations that the firm partners with, as well as the practice groups and attorneys across the firm who, year in and year out, provide tireless and invaluable pro bono services to the communities in which we live and work.

In my first year as Chair Emeritus of the firm, I gave myself a personal challenge to do more. That has continued for the past five years. Through the organizations that I have committed to so far, I have enhanced my level of compassion, empathy, and understanding of the experiences of those who are underprivileged and in critical need of assistance in our legal system:

• Homeless Advocacy Project: During the pandemic, I participated in multiple virtual clinics, in which I advised and/or accepted representation of clients relating to, among other things, disability issues and applications for birth certificates.
• Philadelphia VIP Tangled Title Program: I have worked with associates and paralegals at the firm to assist clients in clearing title to family homes, among other things; I am also an active participant in the firm’s award-winning Tangled Title Practice Group, which includes attorneys and paralegals across multiple practice groups.
• Senior Law Center: I have participated in multiple clinics, along with in-house counsel from a major firm client, in which we advise and prepare wills and powers of attorney for seniors.
• Support Center for Child Advocates: I have handled two cases for the Support Center – the current case has been particularly rewarding because my three-year-old client, who has complex medical/developmental issues, is on a path to adoption within his birth family, which will probably stability, support and love.

This has been extremely rewarding for me, both personally and professionally, and I particularly appreciate the opportunity to work with the invaluable staff at each of these organizations, who make it possible for us to provide these critical services to assure access to justice for the underrepresented in our community.