2011 AmeriCorps Legal Fellow, Robert Owens
Robert Owens
Name of Host Organization: Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
City, State: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Issue area: Consumer Rights
The Inspiration
Printer-friendly versionI came to Louisiana just a couple of weeks before Hurricane Katrina to teach elementary school through the Teach For America program. I fell in love with the place and also learned first hand about the crushing education and income disparities that exist here and in particular the poor state of special education in the public schools. These experiences led me to pursue a career in law in the hopes of empowering regular people to access quality legal representation while pursuing social and economic justice. The Project
I provide legal services to clients and work to recruit, involve and supervise volunteers in delivery of legal services on consumer debt/protection, unfair collection practices, predatory loans and foreclosure prevention.
Biography
Hometown: |
Cambridge, Massachusetts |
Law school: | |
Recommended books: |
Confederacy of Dunces, The Road, Straw Dogs |
Favorite website(s): |
Nola.com, Slate.com, Salon.com, Electoral-Vote.com |
Words to live by: |
"You can bring a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.” |