Catherine Fitch, Esq.
“What initially brought me to VLJ was its history of recognizing needs within the community and designing innovative legal programs to meet those evolving needs. What keeps me coming back as a volunteer are the resources, support, and training VLJ provides. VLJ makes it easy to say ‘Yes!’ to volunteering.”
Attorney Catherine Fitch Joins VLJ’s Board of Trustees
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2023
CONTACT
Eric W. Hughes
Bershad Communications Manager
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice
(973) 233-5724
Email: ehughes@vljnj.org
Newark, NJ – Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is excited to announce that volunteer Catherine Fitch, a resident of Cranford, New Jersey, recently joined VLJ’s Board of Trustees. Catherine is currently Managing Counsel, Patents at Merck where she has been involved with Merck’s Pro Bono Program including volunteering with VLJ’s Divorce and Debt Relief legal clinics. In addition to serving as interim leader of Merck’s divorce and debt relief pro bono efforts with VLJ, Catherine has also volunteered with Bet Tzedek, and the ReUnite project with VECINA. She is also involved with professional organizations including being a member of the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) and serving as President-Elect on the Executive Board of ACC NJ. At Merck, Catherine is active in mentoring and led the restart of Merck’s 1L internship program.
Catherine has been a longstanding volunteer with VLJ who worked on her first Chapter 7 bankruptcy matter in 2013. Since then, she has provided direct representation on several Chapter 7 bankruptcy petitions, and she has been an active participant in VLJ's Divorce Program’s legal clinic providing advice and brief services to pro se litigants seeking divorce. Her contribution to VLJ’s Divorce Program is remarkable: since 2017, Catherine has assisted over 25 clients seeking help with divorce—including a major and untraditional pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide virtual services when in-person meetings were no longer an option. Catherine’s service to ensuring access to justice is not limited to VLJ: she has volunteered on guardianship matters in Union County and with Legal Services of Northwest Jersey helping tenants stayed housed during the pandemic.
Catherine received a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Wesleyan University, and she received her Juris Doctor with high honors from Rutgers Law School-Newark. After law school, Catherine was inducted into the Order of the Coif. Catherine is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A committed Wesleyan graduate, Catherine has been volunteering with her alma mater since 1989, ranging from serving on the class reunion committee to the university’s alumni program. In May 2022, Catherine received the Wesleyan University Service Award for her efforts.
Catherine was attracted to VLJ because of its mission statement and volunteer opportunities that put “ensuring access to justice for people experiencing poverty” front and center. Catherine remarked, “What initially brought me to VLJ was its history of recognizing needs within the community and designing innovative legal programs to meet those evolving needs. What keeps me coming back as a volunteer are the resources, support, and training VLJ provides. VLJ makes it easy to say ‘Yes!’ to volunteering.”
Catherine’s time with VLJ has seen many changes, from VLJ’s shift to meet the economic fallout of the recession to its growth in response to the eviction crisis post-pandemic. Cathy Keenan, VLJ’s executive Director, said, “Catherine joining VLJ’s Board of Trustees was a natural evolution for someone whose commitment to VLJ and volunteerism spans decades. From her first bankruptcy case in 2013 to today, Catherine has been a champion, a cheerleader, and a friend. Catherine joining the board not only recognizes her immeasurable contributions to the fight for justice, it also recognizes the powerful partnership between VLJ and Merck. I am grateful for her continued service and support, and I look forward to sharing in her wisdom, passion, and leadership.”
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About Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ)
VLJ is an award-winning, comprehensive nonprofit legal services program based in Newark, NJ, with a statewide reach. VLJ's mission is to ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty. The Newark-based organization ensures fair access to the legal system through partnerships with corporations and hundreds of volunteer attorneys. In 2022, VLJ’s work impacted nearly 4,561 people—including veterans, children, tenants, families, and survivors of human trafficking—and our volunteer attorneys provided $2.4 million in free legal services.
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