| Volume 121 Number 11 |
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The People's Law School is this Saturday! Register now!! Click here for more.
The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Have you ever had a family law, wills, or landlord/tenant question? Are you being harassed by a debt collector, stuck with a lemon or interested in starting a business? These are just some of the legal topics taught at the People’s Law School! The People's Law school is a free program focused on sharing information with the public about their legal rights and the role these rights play in their daily lives. More than 50,000 people have attended classes at the People’s Law School, taught by volunteer judges, lawyers and law professors.
The People's Law School takes place this Saturday, April 2nd, from 9AM to 12:30PM. Arrive early for registration, coffee, and donuts.
Although the People's Law School is free, you must register to attend! To register, click on the link. Click here for more.
Forget Monopoly: Six Financial Lessons from Catan
Odds are you have probably heard of Catan - formerly known as "The Settlers of Catan." Over 25 million copies in more than 30 languages has been sold to a cult of rabid fans around the world. While kids for generations learned about real estate and capitalism by playing Monopoly, these days they are just as likely to be learning financial lessons from Catan. Click here for more.
Your Money
A new survey of retirement confidence published confirms that many workers lack realistic plans for making ends meet in retirement. It also suggests there is a disconnect between Americans' confidence about retirement and their actual preparations to ensure a comfortable one. Most of those surveyed who have some degree of confidence are just guessing. Findings from the survey also suggest that workers are not making smart decisions about timing their claims for Social Security. Although there is certainly no single correct time to claim benefits, it is to most people's advantage to wait at least until the full retirement age. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
The Second Circuit joined other circuits in holidng “that violations of state and local debt collection statutes are not per se actionable under the FDCPA.” In this case, the consumer filed a putative class action against a collection agency alleging that the collection letter violated the FDCPA. The plaintiff alleged that because the debt collector’s letter provided the plaintiff with a telephone number to call but did not provide the name of any person who the plaintiff could speak to, the letter violated the New York City Administrative Code, and in turn violated the FDCPA. The Court found that failure to provide a name of an individual the consumer could speak to was not a false representation or deceptive under § 1692e(10) or unfair and unconscionable under § 1692f of the FDCPA. Gallego v. Northland Group Inc. Click here for more.