Joanna Adler

The Project

Americans owe over $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. One out of every four student borrowers are either currently in default on their loans, or struggling to make repayments. Low-income student borrowers bear the majority of the student debt burden and are more likely to default on their loans. Without legal assistance, low-income students who sought an education to create better lives for themselves and their families will be trapped in the cycle of poverty for generations to come.

Fellowship Highlights

During the Fellowship period, Joanna has:

• Provided direct services to over 100 low-income student borrowers
• Pursued impact litigation on behalf of 300 former students of a defunct for-profit school that resulted in a favorable settlement and injunctive relief
• Helped create four animated videos designed to educate self-represented defendants in debt collection lawsuits

What’s Next

Now that the Fellowship is complete, Joanna plans to continue and expand the work of her project as a staff attorney at Public Counsel.