LSNYC Helps Erase Student Debt and Empowers Clients to Achieve Their Goals

Kai Smith, a native New Yorker, decided to dedicate his life to social work and street violence prevention after experiencing a rough childhood. Despite coming from modest means, he put himself through school, and eventually enrolled in a masters degree program at Rutgers University in public administration, hoping to put himself on the path to a long career in justice work. 

Towards the end of his program, however, the university told him that, for reasons that were unclear, he would have to retake two classes — at a cost of $8,000, many times more than the typical per-credit cost of public education. By then, Kai had already paid more than $100,000 in loans toward this degree, and was only a few credits shy of completing the course. 

Kai realized he couldn’t afford the additional payments, since he was already facing default on his existing loans. Then Rutgers University sued him for the $8,000, and barred him from re-enrolling until the supposed debt was paid. 

“It’s like I was asked to leave a restaurant after I ordered because I told the waiter I left my wallet at home,” Kai said. “And I still got billed and didn’t get to eat!”

LSNYC took Kai’s case immediately, and began negotiating with Rutgers. Our advocates drew on hundreds of emails that supported Kai’s story, and did background research with loan servicers and student loan organizations — including receiving a letter from the president of a major student loan group that said, plainly, that Rutgers had made a mistake. After several months, and after many hours spent trying, and failing, to mediate in person with Rutgers’ attorneys, the school dropped the case. 

Kai’s debt was zeroed out and he was able to re-enroll in the master program the following fall. Without legal support, Rutgers could have enforced the debt by taking payments out of Kai’s paycheck — and could have prevented him from earning his degree, which he did less than a year later.

“This first [graduation] picture is dedicated to my lawyer, Johnson Tyler. Had it not been for him, I would not be here today.”

Kai Smith, an LSNYC client

Get Help

Learn more about our bankruptcy, consumer debt, and taxes practice.

For free legal help, call Legal Services NYC at 917-661-4500 Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more about our intake process here.