Through the Predatory Lending Clinic, students represent low-income people in cases related to predatory lending and other consumer matters, including bankruptcy and debt collection defense. Students are either placed in the general practice or the Project on Predatory Student Lending. The practice is primarily litigation and involves consumer, bankruptcy, banking, student loan, real estate, contract, and tort law.

Students who work with the Project on Predatory Student Lending help low-income student loan borrowers who have experienced predatory lending in connection with for-profit schools. Students gain experience interviewing clients, analyzing loan documents, drafting complaints, drafting and responding to discovery requests, conducting and defending depositions, negotiating with opposing counsel, arguing motions, conducting trials, and engaging in long-term case strategizing. In addition to direct representation of borrowers in court proceedings, arbitration, and administrative actions, some students also have the opportunity to engage in other forms of advocacy, including public education and state and federal testimony on issues important to our clients. For more information, see the Project’s website.

“This clinic is part of the WilmerHale Legal Services Center (LSC), a general practice community law office in Jamaica Plain. LSC’s diverse clinics provide clinical instruction to second- and third-year law students and serve as a laboratory for the innovative delivery of legal services. Students are taught and mentored under the supervision and guidance of clinical instructors and fellows in one of LSC’s litigation clinical practices. For more information about the LSC, please visit here.”

See FAQs for LSC Students