In memory of Robert “Bob” Hobbs (1944–2025)
a towering architect of modern consumer law, a guardian of fairness,
and a steadfast advocate for those without power
For more than four decades, Bob shaped the landscape of consumer protection. From his early days at New Orleans Legal Assistance to his 42 years at the National Consumer Law Center, he built the institutions, the scholarship, and the community that continue to guide our work. He helped create the Consumer Rights Litigation Conference and the National Association of Consumer Advocates; drafted the Model Consumer Credit Act; contributed to the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act; and lent his expertise to the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Trade Commission. His writing, including NCLC’s Fair Debt Collection treatise, remains foundational to the field.
Bob’s influence cannot be measured solely in statutes, regulations, or treatises. It lives in the generations of lawyers he mentored, the movement he nurtured, and the countless consumers whose rights are stronger because of him. Bob was a founding father of this community—its conscience, its teacher, and its quiet force for justice.
We dedicate this book to Bob Hobbs
with gratitude for his vision, with admiration for his life’s work, and with the promise to carry forward
the mission he championed with dignity, grace, and an unshakable commitment to justice.