Presenters: Laura Smith, Community Legal Services and Ryan Cummins, MidPenn Legal Services

2020 PLAN Virtual Statewide Conference

Collection of consumer debts can impact our clients lives in ways big and small - from unwanted phone calls, to ruined credit, to judgments that become liens on homes and threaten bank accounts. The debt collection machine continues to hum through COVID shutdown, and its effects can be magnified when people are required to be at home as much as possible.

This session will provide an overview of the rights of consumer facing collections, how they can best protect themselves and their credit, and common defenses in collections cases - for advocates who represent consumers sued in collection actions or who simply want to be able to advise clients who are stressed out by collectors' tactics.