Paul Hastings' Attorneys Educate Students About Credit Responsibility

June 14, 2006

Paul Hastings' Attorneys Educate Students About Credit Responsibility

Washington, D.C. (June 14, 2006) - Overspending and the abuse of consumer credit have contributed to a record number of bankruptcy filings and created serious financial problems for many Americans, including young people. Attorneys from the Washington, D.C., office of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP visited high schools this past year to advise students about the pitfalls of abusing their credit and to educate them about responsible budgeting.

"It is important to get through to young people that credit is not free money," said Roberto Facundus, an attorney in Paul Hastings' litigation department in Washington, D.C. and the project's coordinator. "People are eligible for credit at 18 years of age, yet most of them have never been educated about the responsible use of credit, and unfortunately, many of them suffer through years of uncontrollable debt and poor credit ratings."

The attorneys' work is part of the C.A.R.E. (Credit Abuse Resistance Education) program. Founded in Rochester, NY, by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge John C. Ninfo, II, the program educates students about the high cost and difficulty of repaying consumer debt; the consequences of financial problems; the need to have savings; and how to effectively budget. In addition, the program conveys the message that just maintaining debt is not being able to afford it -- affording debt is being able to pay it back. The Paul Hastings attorneys will continue the program in fall 2006.

The Paul Hastings Litigation Department provides premier litigation services to clients facing complex legal issues in the U.S., Europe, South America, the Middle East and Asia. With more than 225 lawyers in the Litigation Department, in addition to 150 litigators in the Employment Department, Paul Hastings is well positioned to handle all aspects of a client's litigation needs. Our sophisticated litigation practice covers every major practice including securities, intellectual property, class action and employment litigation, international arbitration, and white-collar crime. The Litigation Department has an impressive track record of winning large and difficult cases.

Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP, founded in 1951, is a leading international law firm with 1,000 attorneys in 17 offices. The firm serves a diverse client base including many of the top financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies, supports clients in all of their legal needs and offers deep capabilities in Banking and Finance, Capital Markets, Corporate/M+A, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, Project Finance, Investment Management, Real Estate, Labor and Employment and Tax Advisory Services. For additional information, please visit our website at www.paulhastings.com.

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