Listservs Eligibility Standards

General Requirements

Most NCLC listservs are discussion forums open exclusively to attorneys and advocates working on behalf of consumers, including those who work for legal services and other nonprofit agencies and National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA) members. Some listservs are open to others, including but not limited to, to government attorneys and consumer-oriented academics.

In general, any individual who performs services for any client on any matter in which the client’s interests are adverse to the interests of a consumer or consumers, or who represents (or conducts any work on behalf of) certain types of for-profit businesses whose interests are adverse to the interests of a consumer or consumers, is not eligible to join NCLC listservs or attend NCLC conferences.

Descriptions and details about admission standards for each listserv are listed below.

Listserv Descriptions & Eligibility Standards

Auto Fraud Listserv
This listserv discusses consumer litigation issues in auto sales and finance.
Eligible: NACA members, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Government attorneys, Academics
Ineligible: Non-NACA private consumer attorneys

Auto Ownership, Finance, and Policy Listserv
This listserv welcomes anyone who is concerned about low-income car finance, sales, and ownership as well as anyone working on broader issues that affect access to transportation for low-income workers and their families (e.g., insurance, driver’s licenses, maintenance, etc.).
Eligible: All

Banking Listserv
This list discusses policy issues involving banking and payments, including overdraft fees, payment fraud, payment apps, prepaid cards, and EBT cards.
Eligible: Private consumer attorneys, NACA members, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Government attorneys

Banking Litigation Listserv
This listserv discusses litigation strategy, tips, and resource sharing for those pursuing claims against banks and other financial institutions for payment fraud and other banking and payment issues.
Eligible: NACA members, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Non-NACA private consumer attorneys, Government attorneys

Bankruptcy Listserv
This listserv is for discussion of consumer bankruptcy issues by legal services attorneys and other attorneys working for nonprofits or pro bono programs.
Eligible: Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Private consumer attorneys (including NACA members), Government attorneys, Students

California Consumer Advocates Listserv
This listserv provides a forum for discussion of consumer protection issues impacting Californians.
Eligible: Private consumer attorneys, NACA members, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Government attorneys

DC Updates Listserv
This listserv provides updates on significant national consumer protection developments.
Eligible: Private consumer attorneys, NACA members, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Government attorneys

Debt Collection Policy Listserv
This listserv discusses information and ideas about improving the laws and regulations governing debt collection at the state and federal level. This listserv is not aimed at litigating debt collection cases or defending consumers.
Eligible: Private consumer attorneys, NACA members, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics, State government attorneys
Ineligible: Federal government attorneys

Disasters and Consumer Law Listserv
This listserv discusses consumer law issues as they arise in the context of natural disasters. The purpose of the list is to exchange information on existing law and programs available to consumers as well as to provide updates on policy developments and to communicate for policy advocacy efforts.
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics, Government attorneys

FCRA Listserv
This listserv discusses litigation and policy under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and closely related matters. Please note that posts on the FCRA listserv are confidential. By checking the Request button, you are confirming you will respect listserv confidentiality.
Eligible: NACA members, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Non-NACA private consumer attorneys, Government attorneys

Federal Government Listerv
This listserv provides an opportunity for federal government attorneys, regulators and others to receive information on consumer protection issues, including fintech, predatory lending, payment fraud and other issues.
Eligible: Federal government
Ineligible: State & local government, NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics

Fight Debt Relief Scams Listserv
This list discusses debt relief scams, including debt settlement, debt elimination, tax debt relief, timeshare rescue scams, credit repair, and other scams related to the reduction or elimination of debt.
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Government attorneys

Food Law Listserv
This listserv discusses the use of state Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices (UDAP) statutes and other laws to bring lawsuits against food and supplement companies to stop deceptive and abusive practices in the marketing and sale of foods and supplements.
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Government attorneys

Legal Aid Student Loan Advocates Listserv
This list is open to legal aid advocates who are interested in learning more about student loan law, currently handle student loan cases, or want to stay up to date on the latest student loan news. In addition to general student loan discussion, agendas and materials for legal aid student loan coalition meetings will be sent to this list. 
Eligible: Legal services
Ineligible: NACA members (non-legal services), Private consumer attorneys, Non-profit employees, Academics, Government attorneys

Low-Income Energy Advocates Listserv
This listserv is for discussions related broadly to equitable and affordable energy and utility service (including electricity, heat, water, telephone and broadband service). Advocates from any state who work on affordability, energy efficiency, and/or the equitable transition to clean energy are welcome. 
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics, Government attorneys

Manufactured Homes Listserv
This listserv focuses on issues related to the sale, financing, and repossession of manufactured homes, as well as insurance, defects and warranties, park conditions, leases and evictions.
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Government attorneys

Massachusetts Utility Network
This listserv is for Massachusetts advocates who work with low income individuals or households who are having problems paying their utility or energy bills, wanting to access energy assistance programs, or having some other problem related to an energy source (electricity, gas, oil, propane, etc.). This list is used as a forum to ask for advice on how to best serve clients, or broadcast program and policy updates, advertise trainings and events, and obtain feedback from other advocates.
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics, Government attorneys (Massachusetts only)
Ineligible: Anyone outside the State of Massachusetts 

Nursing Home Debt Listserv
This listserv provides an opportunity for attorneys and other advocates to join the Nursing Home Debt Coalition. The Coalition’s primary goal is to help advocates defend nursing home residents and family members from nursing home debt collection lawsuits. Listserv members automatically receive invitations to Coalition meetings.
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics, state government attorneys
Ineligible: Federal government attorneys

Preemption Listserv
This listserv discusses issues impacting the enforcement of and compliance with state consumer protection laws.
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics, State government attorneys
Ineligible: Federal government attorneys

Property Assessed Clean Energy Home Loans (PACE) Listserv
This listserv is open to legal services and other nonprofit advocates, private attorneys, and members of state attorneys general and other state government offices who work on consumer protection issues related to Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) loans, to exchange information and ideas about improving the laws governing PACE loans and the administration of PACE programs.
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics, State government attorneys
Ineligible: Federal government attorneys

Reverse Mortgages Listserv
This listserv is for advocates representing older adults with FHA-insured Home Equity Conversion mortgages (HECMs) and proprietary mortgages. The group discusses issues related to the origination, servicing and foreclosure of reverse mortgages.
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Government attorneys

State and Local Government Listserv
This listserv provides an opportunity for state and local government attorneys, regulators and others to receive information on consumer protection issues, including fintech, predatory lending, payment fraud and other issues.
Eligible: State & local government
Ineligible: Federal government, NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics

Student Loans Listserv
This listserv discusses aspects of the student loan system and best practices for providing legal services for student loan borrowers. Although there is no censoring of the issues to be discussed, this group generally focuses on student loan issues that affect low-income borrowers. Frequent topics within this group include: predatory schools, student loan servicer misconduct, administrative loan discharges, bankruptcy and collection practices.
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Government attorneys

TCPA (Robocalls) Policy Listserv
This listserv discusses policy proposals to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
Eligible: NACA members, Private consumer attorneys, Legal services, Non-profit employees, Academics
Ineligible: Government attorneys