The law firm of Kitch Drutchas Wagner Valitutti & Sherbrook, headquartered in Detroit, assisted Project HELP (Homeless Experience Legal Protection), a legal clinic at the Ss. Peter & Paul Jesuit Church Warming Center, by supplying nineteen of its attorneys to staff the free legal services clinic on the Wednesdays during the month of November 2013.

Many of the homeless in the city have little or no access to legal advice but often need direction and guidance on legal issues ranging from Social Security, personal identification, collection issues, minor criminal warrants, and child support. The program pairs the guests with attorneys to discuss legal concerns at the Center on Wednesday mornings.

Project HELP was started by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey in New Orleans in 2004 to address this need, and the program has since expanded to fifteen cities throughout the country, including Detroit where it has been active at Ss. Peter & Paul since 2012.

John Sier, a principal with the firm who helped organize the Kitch attorney volunteers, commended the benefits of the program for participants and attorneys alike stating, “It gave our attorneys an opportunity to use their legal skills and abilities in areas outside of their comfort zone to help those who had thought they had no options in many situations. Many of our attorneys came away with a new enthusiasm for the ways in which the legal profession can serve others.”

With six Great Lakes Region offices, the Kitch firm is a full-service firm with over 100 dedicated attorneys. For more than 40 years, the Kitch firm has been a first choice over a broad range of legal needs for individuals and businesses alike. Its depth makes it proud to give back to its communities through its knowledgeable attorneys, and supports the spirit of giving in the holiday season.

Mr. Sier can be reached at the firm’s Detroit office at (313.965.2915), or contact the firm’s Director of Public Relations Richard Joppich at (517.381.7182).

Kitch Teams with Project HELP for the Homeless

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