Unmanageable student debt is a growing social problem in the commonwealth. For many low-income borrowers, student debt prevents them from taking care of themselves and their families. The Bankruptcy Code, in turn, provides for the discharge of student debt – but only upon a showing of “undue hardship” on the student borrower and his/her dependents.

Recognizing that the student borrowers most likely to be eligible for an “undue hardship” discharge in bankruptcy will not have the resources to hire a trial lawyer, the Massachusetts Bar Association has established a panel of pro bono attorneys and law firms willing to represent student borrowers in adversary proceedings seeking to discharge student debt in their bankruptcy cases.