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that describe the access to justice issues consumers face in cases brought by third party debt buyers.
Debt buyers are companies or firms that purchase delinquent debts for pennies on the dollar and
in many cases pursue collection through the legal system. The authors of the paper identified many
cases in which the plaintiff debt buyer does not have the documentation required to establish a
prima facie case, e.g., chain of title to prove ownership, agreement between original creditor and
debtor, and itemized accounting of the credits and debits on the account. However, most consumers
go unrepresented and are unable to effectively advocate for themselves, and as a result the courts
often issue default judgments against them without the debt-buyer plaintiff meeting their burden
of proof.

Since its re-launch in August 2016, the working group has conducted two CLE trainings – one for
legal aid attorneys and the other for pro bono attorneys – and assisted in the pilot launch of a
consumer law clinic at Tulane law school. Upon the request of a judge, the group has developed
automated self-help forms available via Louisiana Law Help:
https://louisianalawhelp.org/resource/online-forms-for-consumer-debt-
problems?ref=XuJ5y#i31EA498F-DE75-447D-8338-9DABAB918243.

Louisiana Immigration Working Group (LIWG)

The LIWG is composed of a variety of stakeholders in the United States Immigration legal system
including Department of Homeland Security personnel, legal aid programs, private bar
representatives, and social services providers. The group was formed to facilitate access to justice
and to maintain open dialogues across those engaged in the immigration process. Initiatives
include securing counsel for unaccompanied minors and crime victims throughout adjudication of
their immigration proceeding, and for others, initial bond hearings. The program is especially
pertinent in Louisiana, where a number of immigrants are held in remote facilities, 87% of which
are unrepresented in detention hearings.

ATJ Developing Leadership Intern Program

During the March 2015 Access to Justice Summit, participants concluded that cultivating the next
generation of access to justice leaders should not only be a priority but is necessary as sensible
succession planning to ensure continued efforts within Louisiana’s justice community. In response,
representatives of LSBA, LBF, Louisiana civil legal aid providers, Louisiana District Judges
Association, Louisiana law schools, the Louisiana Supreme Court, and the private bar joined forces
to create the ATJ Developing Leadership Intern Program. This new initiative is a unique
opportunity for law students to gain the insight and skills needed to become the next generation of
access to justice leaders. Only four students, having completed their 1st year of law school, are
selected to participate in the program. Interns – one from each of Louisiana’s four law schools –
are sponsored by prestigious law firms and organizations with records of dedication to access to
justice issues. The sponsoring law firms are Adams and Reese, Baker Donelson, and Phelps
Dunbar LLP. Entergy, LLC joined this program as a sponsor beginning in 2019. The sponsoring
organizations provide guidance, mentorship, and a $3,000 stipend for the interns. Over a 6 week
period, interns work with civil legal aid programs, and weekly programming focuses on the various
civil legal needs of low-income people, the ways in which organizations within the justice

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