Professors Ralph Brubaker and Robert Lawless were both featured in the commentary featured of the American Bankruptcy Institute’s blog, Rochelle’s Daily Wire. Their commentary discussed the most recent decision in the ongoing controversy over the propriety and legitimacy of so-called “Texas Two-Step” mass-tort bankruptcies. The decision, from the Fourth Circuit, continues to stoke opinion and […]
Professor Bob Lawless and co-authors Pamela Foohey and Deborah Thorne recently joined the well-regarded Ballard Spahr podcast Consumer Finance Monitor to discuss their book “Debt’s Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy.” In the episode, they discuss why people actually file for bankruptcy, the role of debt collection and litigation, potential policy reforms, and much more. Listen […]
Leading bankruptcy law expert and professor Bob Lawless recently sat down with the students behind the independent, student-run production The UIUC Talkshow. Lawless discussed the student debt crisis, the history of bankruptcy law, and some proposed solutions. View the full conversation on youtube.com.
Professor Robert Lawless, along with co-authors Pamela Foohey and Deborah Thorne, recently sat down with Law360 for an in-depth interview on their book “Debt’s Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy.” The book is the latest to come out of the Consumer Bankruptcy Project, a long-term interdisciplinary research project on consumer bankruptcies in the U.S. that began […]
Speaking about his new book, “Debt’s Grip,” Professor Robert Lawless sat down with WBGL’s Community Matters program. He discussed the research that went into the work, how bankruptcy affects the lives of everyday Americans, and common misconceptions about the bankruptcy process. He concluded with advice for how to support those going through financial hardships. Listen […]
In a new opinion article published by Bloomberg, Professors Sean Anderson and Robert Lawless explain why they believe the Trump administration’s decision to allow workers to invest retirement savings in cryptocurrency and private equity is a bad decision for the workers. “There is no reason to expect that inviting plans to offer these alternative investments […]
In his new book, Debt’s Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy, Professor Robert Lawless and co-authors Pamela Foohey and Deborah Thorne examine the stories and the data behind people who file for bankruptcy in the U.S., finding the human nuance in the bankruptcy system. “When we thought about writing this book, we asked ourselves, ‘What do […]
We kick off season two with an engrossing conversation with Professor Robert Lawless about his new book, Debt’s Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy. The book explores financial precarity in the United States and utilizes original data from the Consumer Bankruptcy Project, including the words of bankruptcy filers themselves to shed light on their situations. Professor Lawless […]
Over the almost 45 years the Consumer Bankruptcy Project has been collecting data, the landscape of debt in the United States has shifted significantly. Updating that work is “Debt’s Grip,” a new book by Professor Robert Lawless and his fellow principal investigators telling the story of financial struggle in the United States in the words […]
Law and Society Association Annual Meeting The Law and Society Association Annual Meeting took place in Chicago, Illinois, on May 22–25, 2025, and featured a number of College of Law faculty and JSD students as presenters. Illinois Law professors presenting included Kenworthey Bilz, Bob Lawless, Jennifer Robbennolt, and Verity Winship; affiliated faculty presenting included Jose […]