Consumer Debt Defense and Education Clinics

JDC's Consumer Project advises low-income clients at JDC's Consumer Debt Defense and Education Clinic (CDDEC). Through our free CLE training, volunteer attorneys will be trained on the topic of collection defense law in order to assist clients who have been sued by creditors. The CDDEC takes place twice a month from 6:00-9:00 p.m.

At the Clinic, volunteers will have the opportunity to individually counsel clients and possibly draft in pro per litigation documents. Other opportunities may include negotiating on behalf of clients and representing them at hearings or even trial. Training participants are required to staff CDDEC a minimum of three times within a year of the training. Clinic participation is an excellent way to help low-income people while learning a relevant area of the law and developing litigation skills.

The Consumer Project also accepts law students and paralegals as non-attorney volunteers to staff CDDEC. At the Clinic, non-attorney volunteers mayassist attorneys with drafting cease and desist letters to creditors, answers, fee waiver applications, responses to discovery, motions for summary judgment, demands for bills of particulars, claims of exemption, proposed orders, and proofs of service. The volunteers may also perform legal research on-site as needed and help manage the Clinic and communications with the clients. Depending on the flow of the clinic, volunteers will likely also be able to sit in on client consultations.

For information on volunteering with the Consumer Project, please contact our volunteer coordinator at: probono@sfbar.org

If you are a client, interested in receiving assistance at the Consumer Debt Defense and Education Clinic, please call (415) 989-1616 to see if you qualify.