Student Borrower Protection Center, Towards Justice, the UC Student Loan Law Initiative, and Governing for Impact hosted a first-of-its-kind convening at the University of California Irvine School of Law examining the risks posed by Training Repayment Agreement Provisions (TRAPs) and other employer-driven debt on workers and the economy.

Click here to download a PDF of the agenda

Day 1: Monday, December 4

8:30am-9:45am: REGISTRATION & BREAKFAST

9:45am-10:00am: WELCOME
– Mike Pierce, Student Borrower Protection Center
– Dalié Jiménez, UC Irvine School of Law & Student Loan Law Initiative 

10:00am-10:15am: OPENING REMARKS 
– California Attorney General Rob Bonta
– Terri Gerstein, NYU Wagner Labor Initiative

10:15am-11:30am: PANEL 1 The Rise of TRAPS
– Ellie Blume, California Attorney General’s Office
– Carmen Comsti, California Nurses Association
– Rachel Dempsey, Towards Justice
– Moderated by Chris Hicks, Student Borrower Protection Center

11:30am-1:00pm: LUNCH

1:00pm-2:15pm: PANEL 2 Applying Consumer Law to Protect Workers
– Seth Frotman, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
– Martha Fulford, Office of the Colorado Attorney General
– David Seligman, Towards Justice
– Persis Yu, Student Borrower Protection Center
– Moderated by Terri Gerstein, NYU Wagner Labor Initiative

2:15pm-2:30pm: BREAK

2:30pm-3:45pm: PANEL 3 Strengthening State Laws to Ban TRAPs
– Winston Berkman-Breen, Student Borrower Protection Center
– Garrett Jensen, California State Assembly 
– State Senator Jennifer McEwen, Minnesota
– Assemblymember Phil Steck, New York
– Moderated by Lee Hepner, American Economic Liberties Project

3:45pm-4:00pm: CLOSING REMARKS
David Seligman, Towards Justice 

4:30pm-6:30pm: RECEPTION

Day 2: Tuesday, December 5

8:15am-9:00am: BREAKFAST

9:00am-9:15am: OPENING REMARKS 
– Dean Austen Parrish, UC Irvine School of Law
– Jonathan Harris, Loyola Marymount University Loyola Law School

9:15am-10:30am: PANEL 4 Implementing a Whole-of-Government Approach to Federal Action
– Laura Huizar, U.S. Department of Labor
– Julie Morgan, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
– Jessica Rutter, National Labor Relations Board
– Moderated by Mike Pierce, Student Borrower Protection Center

10:30am-10:40am: BREAK

10:40am-11:55am: PANEL 5 Expanding the Research Landscape
– Daniel Hanley, Open Markets Institute
– Dalié Jiménez, UC Irvine School of Law & Student Loan Law Initiative
– Emma Oppenheim, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
– Marshall Steinbaum, University of Utah & Jain Family Institute
– Moderated by Reed Shaw, Governing for Impact

11:55am-1:00pm: LUNCH

1:00pm-1:45pm: TRAPPED AT WORK A Fireside Chat with Workers
– BreAnn Scally, former PetSmart groomer
– Kate Fredericks, former Ameriflight pilot
– Moderated by Dave Jamieson, HuffPost

1:45pm-1:55pm: BREAK

1:55pm-3:10pm: PANEL 6 Protecting Tech Workers from TRAPs and Predatory Training Programs
– Sparky Abraham, Jubilee Legal
– Julia Barnard, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
– Khandice Lofton, Student Borrower Protection Center
– Josh Schieber, California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation
– Moderated by Jonathan Glater, UC Berkeley School of Law & Student Loan Law Initiative

3:10pm-3:20pm: CLOSING REMARKS
– Persis Yu, Student Borrower Protection Center

*Following the conclusion of the convening, space will be held for a breakout session limited to government attendees.*