EmmaElizabeth Gonzalez
USC Gould School of Law

In her role as supervising staff attorney with the Consumer Rights and Economic Justice Project at Public Counsel, EmmaElizabeth Gonzalez (JD 2009) focuses on areas of consumer rights and oversees PC’s Debtor Assistance Project, Chapter 7 bankruptcy and bankruptcy reaffirmation clinics for unrepresented individuals.

Through her consumer work, Gonzalez litigates debt collection defense cases, student loan matters, elder financial abuse matters and various civil matters involving unfair business practices and fraud. Through her bankruptcy work, she prepares and files Chapter 7 bankruptcies for low-income debtors, and worked with pro bono counsel to litigate and obtain a published decision in Rivera v. Orange Cnty. Prob. Dep’t (In re Rivera) (9th Cir. 2016) 832 F.3d 1103,1104, which held that a debt arising out of the involuntary incarceration of a debtor’s minor child was not a domestic support obligation and thus was not excepted from discharge.

Prior to joining PC, Gonzalez spent nine years at Public Law Center in Orange County. Before that, Gonzalez practiced labor and employment litigation at Loeb & Loeb LLP for three years. While at Loeb & Loeb, Gonzalez was a member of the team that was awarded the State Bar of California’s 2011 President’s Pro Bono Service Award for their work securing asylum for several clients.

At USC Gould, Gonzalez was involved with PILF, LAAB, LLSA, and the Immigration Clinic. Since graduating, Gonzalez has been involved with PILF and Gould’s C. David Molina First Generation Professionals Program.

Before attending law school, Gonzalez spent five years working in development at the ACLU of Southern California and Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City, and two years working as a community organizer with Cornerstone Theater Company in Los Angeles. Gonzalez earned undergraduate degrees in philosophy and theater from the University of Southern California, where she was a member of the USC Trojan Marching Band and a McNair Scholar.
  

FACULTY IN THE NEWS

Politi Fact
May 23, 2023
Re: David B. Cruz

Professor David Cruz was recently interviewed about a controversial bill that was passed in Connecticut. "Paying even modest attention to the bill’s definitions should make it clear beyond doubt that it will not be the source of protections based upon the age of people to whom one is attracted or with whom one has sex," Cruz said.

RECENT SCHOLARSHIP

Robin Craig
April, 2023

"Marine Biodiversity: Trends, Targets, and the BBNJ," Lewis and Clark School of Law 2023 Environmental Law Symposium: Protecting Biodiversity: Five Decades of Progress but an Uncertain Future, Portland, OR, April 7, 2023.

Jonathan Barnett
April, 2023

Comment Letter from Law Professors, Economists, and Business School Professors to the Federal Trade Commission on Proposed Non-Compete Clause Rule, Jonathan Barnett (co-lead author, with Adam Mossoff and Ted Sichelman), April 19, 2023.

Robin Craig
April, 2023

"Survival Equity and Climate Change Triage: How to Decide Who Lives and Who Dies," presentation as part of Adapting to a Warming World: Perspectives from the Environmental Law Collaborative, Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative, University of Iowa School of Law, Iowa City, IA, April 14, 2023.