St. Johns Law School and Legal Services NYC Team Up to Address Spike in Debt Cases
Legal Services E-lert
Bibliographic Info:
Source: Legal Services NYC, “New Resources for Low Income People in Debt”
Date: 08/26/2010
Legal Services NYC writes: “[On August 26], St. John's School of Law and Legal Services NYC (LS-NYC) announced the creation of the Bankruptcy Advocacy Clinic, through which St. John's law students will learn about bankruptcy law while providing bankruptcy assistance to low-income New Yorkers. The St. John's/LS-NYC Clinic will help overburdened debtors eligible for assistance obtain bankruptcy relief from debt - creating a lifeline for the working poor in the continuing economic downturn by helping them pay their rent or mortgage and buy food, instead of servicing debt. As a nationally recognized leader in the study of bankruptcy law, St. John's School of Law is uniquely positioned to offer this assistance. The School publishes the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review, and offers the only Bankruptcy LL.M program in the United States. . . .Dean Michael A. Simons said, ‘The Law School is thrilled to partner with Legal Services NYC to offer this invaluable resource for needy New Yorkers during one of the most difficult economic periods since the Great Depression. Not only are we providing real and meaningful work experience for our students, but we are helping people in our community get back on their feet and enabling them to be a part of reviving our local economy.’ . . . . Legal help for low-income debtors seeking bankruptcy has never been needed more - unemployment in New York City is at 9.4%, while consumer (mostly credit card) cases in the civil court system have ballooned to 577,000 in 2009, up from 200,000 a decade earlier.”