FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Tracye Mosley-Lewis is going to be making preparations - not resolutions - this new year. In addition to being a 2006 candidate for juris doctor at the University of Arkansas School of Law, a member of the Black Law Student Association and a volunteer at Seven Hills Homeless Shelter, Mosley-Lewis was recently awarded an Equal Justice Works Fellowship in Helena-West Helena, Ark., where she will spend the next two years fighting for consumer rights.

“Many families in the Delta lack resources that middle class America are used to - insurance, savings accounts, reliable transportation,” Mosley-Lewis said. “The lack of resources makes populations in this region vulnerable to exploitation. I hope to help educate these consumers so they can make financial decisions to improve their futures.”

Her consumer rights project, which was sponsored by Legal Aid of Arkansas, will help assist both immediate and long-term community needs, including:

• representing consumers in litigation and negotiation,
• educating the public through consumer rights seminars and literature,
• developing community outreach programs to identify the community’s need for services and
• representing the community through planning and implementation of regional and economic development efforts.

William Everette of Legal Aid of Arkansas in Helena-West Helena, Ark., emphasized the need for this legal fellowship in the Arkansas Delta.

“In the Delta low-wage earners’ marginal economic status puts them at the mercy of payday loan companies and check-cashing operations, title lenders and others in the 'sub-prime’ finance industry,” he said. “You add second change financing operations which charge the maximum interest rates allowed by law and pawn shops throughout the poorest neighborhoods and you have consumer exploitation.”

Mosley-Lewis is familiar with consumer exploitation. As a single mother from Crossett, Ark., she said she has struggled and battled with her own debt and now she wants to help other young men and women in similar situations.

Her mentor and UA professor of law Cynthia Nance said Mosley-Lewis is committed to justice issues and issues involving low-wage workers. According to Nance, it’s rare to find such a talented student who is not tempted by the money of a big law firm.

“I’m very proud of her commitment to make a difference,” Nance said.

Mosley-Lewis will be employed by Legal Aid of Arkansas, whose mission is to provide free legal services in civil cases to low-income Arkansans who cannot afford to hire an attorney and lack access to the justice system. Legal Aid serves 31 counties in Arkansas; in 2004, they served 4,579 clients and directly benefited 12,124 households.

Susan Purtle of Legal Aid of Arkansas said the University of Arkansas School of Law is lucky to have such a prestigious candidate as Mosley-Lewis. She said it’s the people of Arkansas who will benefit most from Mosley-Lewis’s fellowship.

The mission of Equal Justice Works is to create a just society by mobilizing the next generation of lawyers committed to equal justice. Lawyers can make a significant difference in the lives of vulnerable people and communities that desperately need legal intervention to obtain justice. It’s their goal to provide entry-level job opportunities and student-debt repayment options for future lawyers like Mosley-Lewis.

David Stern, chief executive officer of the Equal Justice Works Fellowships class of 2006, said, “The competition this year was extremely rigorous with many outstanding candidates.”

And Mosley-Lewis is definitely among them.

For more information about Mosley-Lewis or the Equal Justice Works Fellowship program, contact the School of Law at (479) 575-6111, Legal Aid of Arkansas at (479) 442-0600 or the Equal Justice Works Fellowship program at http://www.equaljusticeworks.org.