Wickman and her husband Steven are partners in the firm Wickman & Wickman, which focuses on protecting the rights of California consumers.

The case in question, Nutter v. NCO Financial Systems, Inc. 04-cv2266 U.S.D.C. Southern District of California, resulted in a multi-million dollar settlement for the class of consumers whose telephone conversations with NCO collectors had been illegally monitored or recorded without the consumers’ knowledge or consent. As part of the settlement, NCO agreed to pay a $78,000.00 award to a worthy charitable organization – a cy pres award, as these types of settlements are called.

Christina Wickman, who had volunteered there while a student at Thomas Jefferson, effectively advocated that the San Diego Legal Aid Society should receive the award, which would be used to start a new clinic for consumers who can’t afford legal services.

The award will fund the Legal Aid’s Consumer Economic Development Clinics, which will help “address legal problems which are dragging them down financially, and keeping them from moving ahead economically,” according to Jason Turner, Senior Attorney with Legal Aid, who is responsible for the new project. “We were designated (to receive the award) because of our history of providing free legal services to individuals and families,” Turner added.

“It’s extremely rewarding,” Christina said of the opportunity to see part of the NCO settlement go toward helping consumers who are being illegally threatened and intimidated by debt collectors.

“Collection agencies have been getting more abusive and brash,” according to Steven Wickman. He referred to a New York Times story in the July 5, 2006, issue reporting, that as consumer debt has risen and bankruptcy laws have changed, there also has been an increase in complaints to the Federal Trade Commission about unscrupulous tactics by debt collection agencies.

The Wickmans have seen the same types of abuse among San Diego consumers, and so has Jason Turner. “We see it a lot,” Turner says. “We have seen our fair share of threatening letters,” he adds, “and people are vulnerable to threats because they often don’t know their rights.”

The Legal Aid Society will be putting on legal clinics in various communities to educate consumers about issues such as fair debt collection practices, identity theft, and consumer law.

Jason Turner says the timing of the Nutter v. NCO award is good because of unmet needs by consumers. “We believe there’s a huge need for better education and a huge need for bankruptcy services by people who can’t afford an attorney,” says Turner.

The Wickmans are among the attorneys who will be doing pro bono bankruptcy work as part of the new program, and Jason Turner says the clinic is looking for more volunteer lawyers to do pro bono work there.

“Get the message out to your alumni who’d be interested in taking pro bono cases,” Turner says. “That would be a big help to us.”

As for Christina and Steven Wickman, they are pleased that the settlement money is being used to help consumers.

“As consumer law attorneys, you strive for immediate benefit to your class members, but you also have the opportunity to create a lasting benefit for a group which has been harmed,” Christina Wickman says.

The San Diego Legal Aid Society can be contacted at http://www.lassd.org.

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