ESQcellence in Action with The Law Office of Kaitlin Files LLC
by Cate Murway
With some powerful practicing of equal access to justice for all injured workers under her belt, this young lawyer has opened her own business firm, on a mission to outpace the pack.
Her goal? Pennsylvania workers' compensation made simple!
Integrity is the foundation of her character and it enhances all her other integral values and beliefs.
Kaitlin Sarah Files, Esq. is practicing law with both grit AND grace.
Kaitlin graduated from Villa Joseph Marie in 2006, the premier, private, all-girls college preparatory academically comprehensive experience in Holland, PA, making her better positioned for success. This very astute, dynamic business owner demonstrates a number of core skills including adept communication skills, and a myriad of essential attributes from critical thinking to managing high-stress situations. Kaitlin also, quite skillfully with her keen eye for detail, breaks down, analyzes and articulates complex issues both orally and in writing.
She continued her education at the Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame, the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.
“After graduation, I took a year off between the academic rigors of ND and Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law. I knew it would be tough and very demanding. I was quite excited to attend as I grew up going to Temple games.”
She spent her “year off” investing her time and talents in teaching 6th & 7th grade grammar school students in St. Petersburg, FL at AmeriCorps' Schools of National Service, a close network committed to addressing critical community needs across the country.
“I love kids and love working with kids. I have also worked at a non-profit juvenile law center in center city, teaching kids their rights. It keeps kids out of detention centers and they learn how to stay out of the system.”
When she first started college at Notre Dame, her major was business; but not for long, “not for me…. I changed my focus to English literature – Ms. McBrinn steered me there- and I wanted to explore books.”
Knowing how to read and understand is great for law!
“Ms. McBrinn taught me to read intuitively and well beyond what is on just one page. She totally changed the way I studied and how I learned.”
Kudos is mutual!
“Kait is one of the nicest and most enthusiastic students I had the privilege to teach. She was a welcome presence in my English class!” confirmed Laurie McBrinn, VJM English Department Chair.
Attending Villa Joseph Marie was an impactful experience for Kaitlin and her sisters, and she fully recognizes and respects the importance of her phenomenal teachers.
“Mrs. Tyburski helped me hone my passions.”
As her Honors and AP Biology teacher at VJM, Lois Tyburski remembers Kaitlin as an exceptional student. “Not only was she focused and high-achieving, but was also very personable, adept at multi-tasking, and a demonstrated leader. Her success at Villa was certainly a foreshadowing of her current success as an attorney,” Mrs. Tyburski confirmed. “Kaitlin is as poised, beautiful, and articulate as how I remembered her. She is certainly on a pathway to ‘make a difference’.”
In her retirement, Lois Tyburski continues to demonstrate her love for science and its process by judging local student science fairs at both Villa Joseph Marie and the St. Ephrem School in Bensalem.
Empathy is an aspect of legal professions that is often neglected, but NOT by Kaitlin.
It is a valuable character tool to assist in developing a strong relationship and rapport with each client.
“At VJM, I witnessed true consideration. Mrs. Leonard was so genuinely compassionate. I saw how she cared for each one of us and she put her heart into teaching. Latin helped me with etymology, AND of course, was a big asset during our very influential trip to Italy.”
And once again, Kait earned reciprocal admiration.
“Kaitlin is not your typical middle child. Never in Kelly’s shadow, I remember her as brilliant, creative, generous, and caring,” shared Marie Leonard.
Kaitlin recently participated in the VJM ‘Women Today Leading Tomorrow’ [WTLT] Panel discussion “Maintaining Work/Life Balance While Navigating A Global Pandemic”, the second successful symposium designed to educate young women about opportunities for representation and leadership in all career sectors. “I really enjoyed the candid dialogue!”
Kait had meticulously absorbed the theoretical and practical skills of how to be a lawyer and how to litigate. She graduated from TU with a resolute desire to make a meaningful contribution to the world.
What was her life to be after Law School? Kaitlin knew exactly what to do as she continued with hands on practicums, taking on a position at a high volume workers’ comp firm in Philadelphia.
This had given her a closer look at her future world, but she was anxious to pursue the next step.
And she was still keeping her options opened!
After listening to her family counsel and her close friends, she launched her own firm on June 10, 2020, making a dream of working independently a reality.
Ignore the people who say you can’t.
If you believe them, there is zero chance you’ll succeed.
She analyzed her priorities and was ready to make the most of this prestigious career.
Kaitlin’s foremost focus niche is workers compensation and representing any injured workers, and she serves as co-chair for the Diversity and Inclusion committee of the Workers’ Compensation Section. She is invested in following the proper procedural channels for obtaining the benefits he/she deserves after a work accident, including Social Security Disability, designed to provide income supplements to those who are physically restricted in their ability to be employed because of a notable disability.
Kaitlin also drafts basic wills and power of attorney documents.
The Files family is a healthy, truly supportive family.
Kaitlin’s father, Dr. Daniel Files, DO is a Family Medicine Specialist and her mother, Kathleen K. Files works with him as a business administrative assistant. Her brother, Danny is also an accomplished D.O.
Her older sister, Kelly K. Files Snyder, VJM ‘03 is a speech pathologist, and her younger sister Tara P. Files Cato, VJM ’08 is a speech pathologist with a Real Estate license.
She was never really in school without a sibling. She and her sisters all played sports, including basketball and field hockey, most times together since their days at Saint Andrew School in Newtown.
The Files girls appreciated their years at VJM, an all girls’ great school that was close to home with top notch education programs and great, competitive athletic programs as well. And they all attended the University of Notre Dame. ND is well-known to attract the brightest minds from around the world.
She learned from a very early age that it is crucially important to cultivate relationships, both personal and professional, and make good use of social media branding.
Quite the innovator, Kaitlin has put her ego aside and she remains fairly open to creative and reasonable solutions. She is most willing to fashion and adopt effective and cost-efficient processes in servicing her clients. Perseverance and determination will help her successfully forge through the most difficult times.
“I tried to go into the community, but it is hard with COVID and I am working on getting my name out while creating my law firm with a good network for referrals. I want no one pushed to the side!
One cannot control the circumstances but one CAN control the response.
She HAS been quite busy building a network! Starting a law firm is not for the faint of heart.
Along with methodically carving out potentially meaningful reforms and concentrating on client service, she breaks down stereotypical lawyer talk each month, as The Law Office of Kaitlin Files LLC commits to a community outreach and actively recruits other entrepreneurial businesses to participate.
Her law firm sponsors the Levittown Little League and has also sponsored the Pennsbury ‘Yes You Can Virtual 5K’, and a ‘ruck sack for veterans’ event. In March, Kait generously dropped off bouquets of flowers and new books for kids to help empower those at the women’s’ shelter in Doylestown during National Women's History Month.
The Law Office of Kaitlin Files LLC, and Witherspoon Boxing & Fitness located in the Grundy Commons complex in Bristol on the Delaware have recently partnered for community outreach.
The former professional fighter, Tim Witherspoon, Jr. confirmed that “Kaitlin is a good business partner to have. She is energetic and she gets things done!”
Kaitlin’s confidence and intellectual capabilities are superior and her character quotient is high.
The partners’ next community ‘cleanup project’ is scheduled for Sunday, June 13th.
“We will meet at 9:00AM at the Bristol SEPTA train station at Prospect Street & Jefferson Avenue and the different teams will start from there,” confirmed Tim.
Their plan is to cover the canal area from the Amish Market down to the wharf.
Their community endeavors will be posted on social media, or contact Kaitlin Files at 215.987.6452, or Tim Witherspoon witherspoonboxing@gmail.com for additional information.
Kaitlin is proficient at motivating people into performing kind and compassionate acts for others.
The marketing side is important. Community involvement and strong community ties are crucial.
She exemplifies her commitment as she is an active member of both the Bucks County Bar Association and the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Bristol Borough Business Association [BBBA], Philly VIP, Southeastern Pennsylvania Legal Aid, and The Wright Legacy.
She has also freely offered her services as the attorney advisor for the Academy at Palumbo School’s Mock Trial teams for the last 4 years. “This year was all-virtual [the team advanced to second round], but previously the teams participated at the James A. Byrne Federal Court House on Market Street.”
Her favorite part was working with cross examining the witnesses.
“I feel full and positive and I like running my own firm and thoroughly enjoy being out in the community.
Yes….My own terms AND my own schedule!”
She would very much like to coach a local girls’ basketball team one day.
No surprise here!
Her favorite book is Their Eyes Were Watching God, a 1937 novel by American writer Zora Neale Hurston. The novel explores main character Janie Crawford's "ripening from a vibrant, but voiceless, teenage girl into a woman with her finger on the trigger of her own destiny".
Keep knockin’ em ALIVE Kait!
Kaitlin is experienced in representing injured workers, while primarily based in Philadelphia and Bucks County, she is striving to serve all of PA. “If we do not practice the type of law you have an issue with, we will provide you a name or resource of someone who does.”
Kailtin Files practices law with grit and grace, and she is set on changing the narrative of the word “lawyer” from someone you don’t know or trust, to meaning your neighbor you can count on.
“We know you don’t want to call a lawyer. We’ve heard all the lawyer stories and jokes that give our profession a bad name and make us cringe. We aren’t that kind of law firm. You’ll actually know your lawyer. We are part of this community, and we work to help our neighbors.”
Kaitlin encourage appointments but her hopes are that she will be welcoming walk-ins soon.
Accessibility and adaptability in action: Zoom meetings are available.
The Law Office of Kaitlin Files LLC is clearly here to serve the community.
The Law Office of Kaitlin Files LLC
2346 Trenton Road
Suite E
Levittown, PA 19056-1445
215.987.6452
Recommend a “Character Spotlight”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
Kaitlin front center row
VJM field hockey team
