There was more than the aromas of chicken and doughnuts that attracted Brian Fritz to South Philly.
Becoming a close neighbor to the former Federal Donuts and Chicken at the corner of Swanson and Wolf streets was just an added bonus when the personal injury law firm Fritz and Bianculli moved into the neighborhood almost two years ago.
Fritz, a Northeast Philadelphia native and 1992 Father Judge High School graduate, sought a convenient location to help clients easily reach his staff with face-to-face meetings inside a spacious open-floor office.
At the same time, Fritz decided to follow a successful blueprint that has helped him form strong bonds with the communities he served and continues to help. It didn’t take long for Fritz to become part of the Whitman neighborhood where he works at 22 Wolf St.
“This was available and gave us an opportunity to start from a clean slate and really take the charm of a past era and bring it to where we are with an open floor plan,” Fritz said. “We do a lot for blue-collar people and this gives us an opportunity to make a relatable space.”
The second-floor office is large and spacious but feels welcoming at the same time. The walls aren’t filled with fancy abstract paintings. They contain eye-catching references to pop culture and dedications to local heroes. There are vintage movie posters, photos of the 1980 Miracle on Ice USA hockey team and even a blown-up photo of Fritz’s grandfather from 1931 when he immigrated to the United States from Italy.
The interior decorating ideas stretch back more than 35 years when Fritz was in a serious car accident as a freshman in high school.
“When I needed an attorney as a kid, we went to all the law firms,” he recalled. “My mom was never a timid person but you could tell she didn’t want to ask about the art because they would probably make her feel stupid. So everything in here was designed to be relatable. People may not know the historical reference but they may be able to relate to the spirit of what the work was. A lot of these echo to adolescence or childhood, which is the most important thing, in my opinion, in life.”
It’s a small example of the thought process behind each decision at Fritz and Bianculli, which is determined to set itself apart from other personal injury firms that mostly use billboards and television commercials to attract clients.
“We still rely upon people recommending us for the right reasons and for genuinely knowing we’re going to do a good job,” he said. “We’re not interested in being the biggest law firm. We’re not the billboard people. Think about the last time you got off the phone with the biggest company you know. Maybe it was your cable company. Did you walk away feeling all warm and fuzzy?”
Fritz and Bianculli doubles down on its belief by making a mission to help in the community in many ways. The firm highlights community members and shines a spotlight on local small businesses to help those in need. In addition to awarding several scholarships to Father Judge students to help with tuition costs, the company created a “Hall of Courage” to honor local residents who go above and beyond in serving their community.
Some members of the Hall of Courage are clients. Others are community members with inspiring stories.
“This was always something on my mind,” Fritz said. “How can we do something to recognize either a client or people that have done extraordinary things that serve as inspiration to other people. What can we do so that those stories become a resource?”
Some of those recognized over the past year are Jennifer Woodeshick, Beth Galdo Desher, Josh Wagner, Necol Millsip, the Costello Family and Cherise Poserina.
“They are inspiring people,” Fritz said. “Jen was battling stage 4 metastatic cancer that went undiagnosed and she’s been so positive. Josh lost both arms and will say he can’t remember having a bad day. The Costello’s boxing gym keeps at-risk kids off the street.”
Fritz’s partner, Pasquale Bianculli, is originally from South Philly, which helped make the addition of the new location an easy transition. But Fritz doesn’t shy away from his Father Judge roots as there is a dedication to the 27 soldiers from his alma mater who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.
But the firm is now spreading its community efforts to include South Philadelphia. On Christmas, the firm hosted Grays Ferry’s Soldier of Love’s Christmas Party. The celebration invited families facing hardship from around the city to visit the office transformed into a festive “Winter Wonderland,” featuring visits and photos with Santa, arts and crafts stations, holiday games, a balloon twister, live choir performances, seasonal movies and music and a warm meal for each family. Children also received toys and holiday surprises.
“My partner is from South Philly originally and we have a lot of friends down here in this area of the city,” Fritz said. “The new things that we are doing is very natural to bring our neighbors into it, whether it’s the Mummers or the children that are victims of domestic violence through the Soldiers of Love Foundation.”
Recently, the firm began creating videos to highlight local organizations and businesses in the area. Bill McIntyre’s Shooting Stars NYB was the first focused piece. Scannicchio’s Italian Restaurant at Broad and Porter streets also recently received a nod.
“The regular mom-and-pop restaurant does’t have the profit margins to do a video,” Fritz said. “But they might be deserving of one. And if we are able to put that out there for them and give them something to be proud of, then why not? And I think it further promotes who we are in the community.”