Joanna Adler

Hosted by Public Counsel
Sponsored by Anonymous
Service location Los Angeles, California
Law school University of California, Los Angeles School of Law
Issue area Consumer Rights
Fellowship class year 2017
Program Design Your Own Fellowship

The Project

Joanna combats predatory and abusive debt collection practices targeted at low-income student borrowers through direct representation, litigation, educational outreach, and policy advocacy.

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