Talk Justice: Episode 134
As Consumer Cases Grow, Legal Services Work to Keep Up
Leaders of nonprofit law firms in Florida, Massachusetts and Michigan discuss the rise in consumer legal issues on Talk Justice. The Legal Services Corporation has seen that the number of consumer legal cases are growing across the 129 legal services organizations that it funds nationally. From 2024 to 2025, the volume of consumer and finance cases increased by nearly 14%. Attorneys at these organizations are helping clients fight fraud, challenge predatory lending or unfair debt collection, and navigate bankruptcy and other financial disputes.
Listen
Subscribe
Featured Guests
Twice a month, our featured guests share thoughtful perspectives and engaging conversations on the issues shaping civil legal aid.
Ashley Lowe
Ashley Lowe is Chief Executive Officer of Lakeshore Legal Aid, a non-profit law firm providing free legal services to low-income people in the Detroit Metro region. Prior to joining Lakeshore, Ms. Lowe was the Associate Director of Clinical Education at Wayne State University Law School and a Professor at Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Ms. Lowe is active in the justice community in Michigan. She chairs the Justice Initiatives Committee of the State Bar of Michigan and is a member of the Justice For All Taskforce, the State Planning Body, and Legal Services Association of Michigan. She is also active in the national effort to establish a right to counsel in eviction cases, speaking at national conferences about the experience of passing the right in the City of Detroit. Ms. Lowe earned her law degree and Master of Business Administration at Georgetown University.
Leticia Medina-Richman
Leticia Medina-Richman, Esq. is the Executive Director of Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. Prior to her current role, Attorney Medina-Richman practiced housing law in Massachusetts for 20 years, specializing in landlord tenant law, subsidized and public housing law, housing discrimination and foreclosure defense. Attorney Medina-Richman is barred in Massachusetts and Florida.
Christopher Oldi
Christopher Oldi has served as Executive Director of South Coastal Counties Legal Services since 2023. A graduate of Vassar College and CUNY School of Law, Chris began his legal services career at Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, where he served as a supervising attorney and Pro Bono Director and founded its LGBTQ Legal Project. He previously practiced law in New York City and White Plains.
Your Host
Our hosts help illuminate the challenges, innovations, and impact of civil legal aid through meaningful conversation and dialogue.
Danielle Chappell
Danielle Chappell joined the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) as a Program Counsel in the Office of Program Performance in May 2022. Before joining LSC, Danielle spent 15 years with Maryland Legal Aid, where she served as both a staff attorney and a supervising attorney. As a staff attorney, Danielle represented clients in family law, domestic violence, and child advocacy matters and provided services in a high-volume courthouse family law clinic. During the pandemic, she supervised attorneys across multiple practice areas including family, housing, public benefits, consumer, elder, and child advocacy law.