Hundreds of Free Practice Aids on the NCLC Digital Library

The NCLC Digital Library contains a massive amount of consumer law practice aids free to the public, in addition to the 21 NCLC treatises that require a subscription. This article describes twelve essential free resources.

1.  Surviving Debt—NCLC’s Most Popular Book—Is Now Free as a Digital Resource

Surviving Debt (2024) is NCLC’s most popular title with hard-hitting and precise advice for families with crushing debt. A leading resource for nearly 30 years and recently named “the best all-around guide to navigating debt” by Business Insider. Surviving Debt is available electronically for free here. 

NCLC also offers related free tools for consumers to deal with debt—including sample letters responding to debt collectors, budgeting forms, and links to useful websites—available here.

For those who prefer the 344-page print version, copies are just $20 including shipping and can be purchased here. Bulk discounts are available.

2.  Federal Practice Manual for Legal Aid Attorneys Free on the NCLC Digital Library

The National Center for Law and Economic Justice’s Federal Practice Manual for Legal Aid Attorneys (2024) guides legal aid and public interest lawyers through all stages of federal litigation. Previously coordinated by the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, this Revised 2024 Edition provides comprehensive expertise for practitioners litigating on behalf of low-income and disadvantaged clients against government defendants. Simply add the book to your library by “purchasing” it for free on the NCLC Bookstore.

3. Articles Analyzing Practice Implications of Recent Consumer Law Developments

NCLC staff attorneys have written over 200 articles with in-depth analysis of important new developments for the practice of consumer law, including the latest Supreme Court rulings and federal agency actions.  Articles don’t just explain the changes but offer advice on how to shape consumer litigation in response to the new changes. The articles are fully searchable—select a topic, year, author, and/or keyword here.  Or see a list of articles in chronological order here.

4. Student Loan Toolkit—an Essential Aid in Advising Student Loan Borrowers

The Student Loan Toolkit (May 2024) (52 pp.) is an essential aid in advising student loan borrowers nationwide. Borrowers themselves can also profit from using the toolkit. Download copies and feel free to disseminate them widely. As the toolkit is updated over time, return periodically to download the most recent version.  Free access to toolkit is here.

5. Eleven Essential Practice Checklists

NCLC’s Consumer Law Practice Series offers a wide variety of helpful checklists to aid practitioners in analyzing and successfully litigating their cases.  Drawn from NCLC treatises, the checklists are free and do not require a subscription.  Currently eleven checklists are available:

• Arbitration checklist;
• Motor vehicle repossession checklist;
• Warranty law in a nutshell;
• Automobile litigation checklist;
• Student loans checklist;
• Debt defense checklist;
• Consumer credit litigation;
• Truth in Lending quick reference;
• Analyzing a foreclosure case checklist;
• Checklist for mortgage loan topics;
• Payment systems in a nutshell.

6.  Free Training Materials, Webinars and NCLC Conference Videos and Speaker Submissions 

NCLC offers here training materials and webinars free to the public, covering these topics:

• Medical debt;
• Mortgage loan modifications; 
• Tangled titles; 
• Zombie second mortgages; 
• Property tax foreclosures; 
• Natural disasters;
• No Surprises Act;
• LIHEAP;
• Online lenders; 
• Sustainable home ownership; 
• Utility rights, and more.

In addition, NCLC offers on the Digital Library over 2500 written submissions from speakers at past NCLC Conferences and videos of conference sessions.  These materials are free to all active NACA members, legal aid attorneys, and recent NCLC conference attendees. Simply login or create a new free login and go here. The conference materials are all searchable—narrow results by conference track, related NCLC treatises, and/or conference name and year in addition to a keyword or term.

7.  Trending Topics: Compilations of Resources on the Latest Hot Consumer Law Issues

NCLC currently has compiled resources for practitioners navigating four trending consumer law topics:

• Disaster resources;
• Tangled titles;
• Zombie second mortgages;
• Property tax foreclosures.

The compiled free-to-the-public resources include reports, videos, articles, court decisions, weblinks, and more. Relevant conference submissions and sample pleadings are included and free to NACA members, legal aid attorneys, and recent NCLC conference attendees.  Links are provided to on-point NCLC treatise subsections (subscription required).

8.  Free Access to NCLC Treatise Chapters

The NCLC Digital Library offers free access to Chapter One of each of its 20 consumer law treatises, with essential background information and analysis.  Also offered free to the public is a chapter on homeowner rights during natural disasters.

Search the 1020 free subsections here.  Narrow results by title, new content, and keywords.

9. NCLC Model State Laws

NCLC has drafted eighteen model state laws, and these are all free to the public on the Digital Library: 

• The Model State Coerced Debt Law (May 2024);
• Model Medical Debt Protection Act (2024); 
• The Model Family Financial Protection Act (rev. Nov. 2023);
• Model Manufactured Home Community Stability and Preservation Act (2023); 
• Model Consumer Amendments to Uniform Wage Garnishment Act (2017); 
• Model Statute of Limitations Reform Act (2015); 
• The Model State Consumer & Employment Justice Enforcement Act (2017) (arbitration);
• Mediation Program for Distressed Homeowners: Non-Judicial Foreclosure States (2022);
• Mediation Program for Distressed Homeowners: Judicial Foreclosure States (2022); 
• Mortgage Servicer Duty of Good Faith (2023); 
• Model State Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Prevention Act (2008); 
• Model Consumer Amendments to Uniform Commercial Code Article 9 (2016); 
• Model Transparent and Consistent Pricing of Motor Vehicle Add-Ons Act (2018); 
• Model Law: Safer Cars at the Point of Sale (2018); 
• Model Individual Tax Preparer Regulation Act (rev. 2013); 
• Model Refund Anticipation Loan Act (2008); 
• National Consumer Act (1970); 
• Model Consumer Credit Act (1973) (325 pages). 

10. Federal Consumer Law Statutes, Regulations & Official Interpretations

The Digital Library offers free to the public digital access to over 200 significant federal consumer law statutes, regulations and official interpretations. Special tools come with use of these resources, allowing you to annotate, bookmark, download, and email the content, and arrange bookmarks into collections, such as a collection of bookmarks for each of your cases. Just set up a free account to utilize these tools.

11. Federal Appellate Court Opinions on Consumer Law Topics

NCLC's Digital Library provides free access to the full text of over 3000 significant and searchable federal appellate decisions on consumer law topics.  Search by circuit, related NCLC treatise, and keywords.

12.  Free Access to Hard-to-Find Unreported Court Decisions

NCLC provides free access to over 500 hard-to-find lower court consumer law decisions of note, only available at the NCLC Digital Library.  Often helpful precedent is from a state trial court that is not found in any official reporter or Westlaw or Lexis.  After finding helpful cases, simply link to the decisions at library.nclc.org/nclc-unreported when submitting argument to the court and other parties.