Supporting evolving economic needs and wellbeing in the Consumer Protection Clinic Jan 31, 2024 By Lorea Mendiguren ‘24, Originally Published in Harvard Law School Today To be an American is to be a consumer. Daily, we trade […]
Supporting evolving economic needs and wellbeing in the Consumer Protection Clinic Read More »
What does it look like to pursue economic justice for those who have been wronged by abusive or unfair financial practices? Meet Annika, a student in the Consumer Protection Clinic at Harvard Law School. Students
LSC Students Reflect on the Value of an Advanced Clinical In November 2023, a little over two months into her advanced clinical semester with the Legal Services Center’s (LSC’s) Consumer Protection Clinic, Annika Reno ’24
By Harvard Law School student Annika Reno ‘24 It’s an icy February morning in Dorchester. You wake up and help your twelve-year-old daughter get ready for school. You prepare her breakfast before rushing out to
The Project, which has grown to represent over one million student borrowers, will officially spin-off from the Legal Services Center at Harvard Law School on August 1st BOSTON – The Project on Predatory Student Lending announced
With an undergraduate degree in English, Sarah Atkinson ’22 was drawn to study law because it combined two things she loved: reading and writing. Her time at Harvard Law School has given her the opportunity
Public Interest Law: A Career with Impact Read More »
The Project on Predatory Student Lending recently released a report detailing the massive scale of fraud and abuse perpetrated by the defunct for-profit college ITT Tech. The report, “Dreams Destroyed: How ITT Technical Institute Defrauded a
Since 2016, the project has represented more than a one million borrowers and brought about the cancellation of over $2.5 billion in fraudulent debts Published by Harvard Law Today on August 12, 2021 By Brett
An update on the class action lawsuit Sweet v. Cardona, filed in 2019 by Project on Predatory Student Lending on behalf of defrauded student borrowers. Read Judge Alsop’s order here. From Courthouse News: Rejecting arguments
Betsy DeVos Ordered to Testify in Student Borrower Class Action Read More »
In 2016, the Project launched a first of its kind legal fight against the predatory for-profit college industry and the harm they cause to students and communities. During that time, the Project has grown
Inmates at the Bristol County Jail in Dartmouth, Massachusetts will get another day in court to determine whether they will continue paying exorbitant rates for phone calls to loved ones and attorneys. In 2020, a
LSC Continues to Challenge Exorbitant Cost of Jail Phone Calls Read More »
Thanks to fearless and tenacious courtroom advocacy by LSC’s Project on Predatory Student Lending, in March the U.S. Department of Education announced that it would rescind its unlawful and harmful partial relief policy – for the second time
From the Harvard Law School Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs: Keeping Tabs is a Q&A series that follows up with alumni on their careers after graduation, the lasting impacts of their clinical and
Keeping Tabs: Alum Michael Turi ’15 Returns to LSC as Staff Attorney Read More »
The New York Times reports that under Secretary Betsy DeVos, the US Department of Education denied almost 130,000 claims from students defrauded by for-profit colleges who were seeking cancellation of their student loans. According to
NYT: A DeVos System Allowed 12 Minutes to Decide Student Loan Forgiveness Read More »
During a televised town hall last week, President Biden again expressed opposition to cancellation of student debt beyond the $10,000 limit proposed by his administration, saying it doesn’t makes sense to cancel student debt for
CNBC: Very Small Share of Student Loan Borrowers Attended Elite Colleges Read More »
After years of deregulation by the Trump administration, for-profit colleges are bracing for a major reckoning as consumer advocates and lawmakers pressure the Biden administration to take action. “For four years under President Trump and
For-profit Colleges Brace for Reckoning in Biden Era Read More »
Order impacts over 170,000 class members who spoke up for their rights to loan cancellation BOSTON – A federal judge has ordered Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and the U.S Department of Education to notify the court two
LSC’s Toby Merrill and Nnena Odim were among the 2020 honorees of the Harvard Law International Women’s Day Portrait Exhibit, which showcased the astounding contributions of women around the world to the areas of law
LSC’s Toby Merrill, Nnena Odim Honored as ‘Women Inspiring Change’ Read More »
Three Graduating LSC Students Honored for Their Pro Bono Work With their law school careers drawing to a close during the difficult and indescribable challenge of a global pandemic, three LSC students were honored at
Singh was recognized for her work on the Project on Predatory Student Lending, as well as her exemplary contributions to public-interest endeavors Sejal Singh ’20 is the 2020 recipient of the David Grossman Exemplary
LSC Student Sejal Singh wins the 2020 David Grossman Exemplary Clinical Student Award Read More »
The attorneys and student advocates at the Legal Services Center continue to work tirelessly for our clients as they face unprecedented challenges and financial distress. Below is a brief update on just some of our
LSC Clinics Work Creatively to Assist Client Communities Affected by COVID-19 Read More »
The Legal Services Center’s staff and students hope you are staying safe and healthy. We are all doing the best we can as we take on new challenges in advocating for client communities made ever
LSC Responds to COVID-19: An Update from Our Clinics Read More »
With the presidential primaries now in full swing, the issue of the nation’s whopping $1.5 trillion in student loan debt – and whether to cancel it – has become a popular topic, highlighting a growing
Dear Presidential Candidates: Yes, You Can Cancel All Student Debt on Day One Read More »
One year ago, the Dream Center chain of for-profit colleges collapsed, closing schools across the country – including the Art Institutes, Argosy University, and South University -and leaving tens thousands of students stranded and scammed
My Student Loan Truth: Jared’s South University Story Read More »
When the Department of Education seized Andrea’s tax refunds to pay for bogus student loan debt from Corinthian Colleges, there were devastating effects for her entire family. Andrea Smith is a single mother living in
My Student Loan Truth: Andrea’s Story Read More »
The founder of the Project on Predatory Student Lending is recognized for leading the fight against predatory for-profit colleges and fighting for the rights of over one million student borrowers. Toby Merrill ’11, founder and
LSC’s Toby Merrill ’11 named to the TIME 100 Next list Read More »
96% of the 900 class members who submitted affidavits in support of this motion said their lives are worse today than before they went to school On Wednesday, October 30, a judge certified the class
UPDATE: Judge Grants Class Certification to 200,000 Student Borrowers in Sweet v. DeVos Read More »
Amanda Wilson went to Everest College in Chelsea, Massachusetts to get a degree in medical assisting. When the Corinthian-owned school collapsed and was found to have misled students, the Massachusetts Attorney General filed an application
Amanda’s Everest Institute Story Read More »
“Secretary DeVos has repeatedly and brazenly violated the law to collect for-profit college students’ debts and deny their rights, and today she has been held accountable.” Toby Merrill, Director Project on Predatory Student Lending
Major Victory for Defrauded Students as Education Department Is Held in Contempt, Fined Read More »
Attorneys at the Legal Services Center represent thousands of low-income clients every year to protect their rights. Our attorneys also bring their expertise and passion to bear through publications that raise awareness of critical issues
Emily Wilkinson, JD ’17 shares how her time as a student in LSC’s Predatory Lending and Consumer Protection Clinic influences her work as an attorney and motivated her to return to LSC as a Skadden
Alum Brings Innovative Consumer Protection Project to LSC Read More »
“It’s wrong and I’m not going to sit down and shut up about it.” Lyndsie Ross attended the Art Institute of California, where she was pressured into signing up for a design program and
My Student Loan Truth: Lyndsie’s Art Institute Story Read More »
ITT and Corinthian Borrowers Continue to Fight for Relief as the Department of Education Skirts the Law Every Step of the Way At the end of last week, there was a great deal of news
The Latest Reports on Betsy DeVos Scamming For-Profit College Students Read More »
Jessica is a plaintiff in the lawsuit Sweet v DeVos, in which she and six other former for-profit college students are suing the U.S. Department of Education and Secretary Betsy DeVos, seeking to force the
Student Loan Truth: Jessica’s Art Institute Story Read More »
When Theresa graduated from the Brooks Institute in 2006, she never imagined that she would find herself suing the U.S. Department of Education years later over her student loan debt. But after being cheated by
My Student Loan Truth: Theresa’s Brooks Institute Story Read More »
In December 2018, scores of Art Institute campuses closed their doors. Before the closure, students got three options: (1) transfer to another Art Institute campus to complete their degree, (2) participate in a teach-out at
Settlements Do More for Cheated ITT Students Than DeVos As Betsy DeVos and the Department of Education continue to sit idly, indifferent to massive fraud committed by ITT against more than 750,000 former students, the
ITT Trustee, CFPB, and States Settle with Private Lender to Eliminate Millions in Debt Read More »
At the American Constitution Society’s National Convention in Washington, D.C. this week, Project on Predatory Student Lending director and founder Toby Merrill was honored as a finalist for the prestigious David Carliner Public Interest Award.
By: Drew Henderson, J.D. ’19 Drew Henderson, J.D. ’19 For years, Corinthian Colleges, a network of over one hundred for-profit schools, defrauded students to rake in profits from taxpayer-funded federal student aid. Tens of thousands
In the Fight for Student Loan Relief Read More »
Last Saturday, I went to a town hall in New Hampshire hoping for the opportunity to ask Pete Buttigieg one question: Would he encourage his education department to cancel federal student debt from predatory for-profit colleges? I
Mayor Pete Answers My Question About Predatory For-Profit Colleges Read More »
