Lisa Ann Zolna Named 2025 Philadelphia VIP "MVP of VIP" Award Recipient
White and Williams joins in congratulating Lisa Ann Zolna, Tax and Fiduciary Administrator, for being named by Philadelphia VIP as this year’s “MVP of VIP." Lisa will be recognized at the 2025 Philadelphia VIP Award Ceremony on May 15, 2025, taking place at City Hall in Philadelphia, which will celebrate the members of this organization’s volunteer community.
The Philadelphia “MVP of VIP” Award is presented to honorees who have volunteered the most hours per year with the organization. Lisa has been an active volunteer with Philadelphia VIP for over 12 years, having started volunteering through White and Williams’ “Tangled Title Pro Bono” program, championed by Nancy Sabol Frantz, the firm’s Real Estate & Finance practice Chair. The program supports low-income individuals who have been living in homes owned by deceased relatives to which they do not have title. For each case, Lisa handles the probate process, the filing of the PA inheritance tax return, the subsequent preparation of a deed to transfer the property to the proper heir, and all other tasks that may be required. This process results in the client being able to qualify for services through various organizations to make repairs on the real estate, enter into payment arrangements for past due real estate taxes, and other types of services. Each case takes approximately 15-20 hours to complete, depending on the complexity of the issues involved.
When asked for her thoughts about the most rewarding case that she worked on, Lisa recounted the case of a gentleman who could not probate his mother’s estate because of an unexplainable difference in their last names. The client obtained a copy of his birth certificate, as directed by the Register of Wills, and discovered that his mother was actually his grandmother, who had raised him since birth. Thereafter, Lisa did some research through the Ancestry website and helped him locate his actual mother and other siblings. The client found a whole new family. While the issue of transferring title to the client was a difficult one based on these circumstances, the client ultimately received something far greater: he connected with a whole new family that he did not know he had.
Stated Lisa, “As a resident of Philadelphia, and an estate professional, I consider it a responsibility, and an honor, to do my part to support individuals who need to obtain title to the homes they’ve been living in, not only for the purpose of correcting the title going forward, but to help these individuals repair the homes in which they are living in order to have a decent roof over their heads. I’m grateful for this recognition, but I know that there is still much work to be done to correct these title issues and to support Philadelphia VIP’s clients."
About Philadelphia VIP
Philadelphia VIP leverages the powerful resources of the community to provide quality volunteer legal services and ensure access to justice for low-income Philadelphians.
For more information and information about Awards Night 2025, please visit their website.
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