Volunteer Spotlight Published October 17, 2022
Kevin Levy
Meet October’s Volunteer of the Month!
Kevin Levy from Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP is VIP’s October Volunteer of the Month. Starting his career with an interest in public policy, Kevin initially pursued government before he recognized the opportunity to do good through the law. So he took a leap and went to law school. It was as a summer associate at Saul Ewing that Kevin was introduced to Philadelphia VIP and saw a different side of the field – pro bono work. While he was beginning in his practice in commercial real estate, Kevin saw that he had an opportunity to keep his plate full by volunteering.
“I wanted to get involved in pro bono work, so I reached out to VIP and said I wanted to take a case. I then found a mentor at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr who could supervise me and get me from onboarding to case closure. And I just got involved from there.” But it wasn’t until the beginning of the pandemic, when the real estate industry came to a near standstill, that Kevin decided he could stay productive and help people through the pandemic by volunteering.
I think lawyers have superpowers. We have this ability, an authority to walk into court and have the judge and jury take us seriously. It’s vitally important that we, as lawyers, use our superpowers for good. Whether it’s for equity, justice, or rightness, it’s important to put forward the cases that people without resources have.
Kevin recognizes the personal and professional importance of being involved in pro bono work. “There are important skills to develop. I am knowledgeable of the commercial real estate industry, but I don’t spend time in litigation defending my clients. I also learn how to communicate with different people. Pro bono clients typically don’t have the same awareness of the legal system, so it reinforces my ability to teach and communicate.”
Kevin’s most memorable case, a quiet title matter, took place in the beginning of the pandemic. As he prepared to file the complaint for adverse possession, the courts closed for months. This sudden change required constant communication between Kevin and the client. Throughout the process Kevin assured his client that he was working as hard as possible to help him obtain title to his home.
“I told him I care about this,” Kevin said. “I understand the stakes. When the litigation ended and he received a clean deed to his family, my client sent me a very nice thank you note. And it’s hanging up in my office, right next to my degrees, because it’s something I’m very proud of, the fact that I was able to use these superpowers for good.”