Bob Lawless
@boblawless.bsky.social
Mainly stuff from my day job as a law professor at the University of Illinois teaching bankruptcy and consumer law with occasional digressions
Have you watched this yet? 17+ minutes on The Daily Show of substantive conversation about a serious book, The Middle-Class New Deal. Proud to know you, Professor Dickerson!
Credit Slips@creditslipsblog.bsky.social · 5mo agoNew post: Professor A. Mechele Dickerson on The Daily Show https://creditslips.org/2026/02/24/professor-a-mechele-dickerson-on-the-daily-show/
Thank you for writing the essay. I referenced it this weekend at a talk about the book.
Ted Janger@tjanger.bsky.social · 8mo agoThank you, Ed Boltz, for a very generous reading of my essay reviewing "Debt's Grip" by @proffoohey.bsky.social, @boblawless.bsky.social, and Deb Thorne. ncbankruptcyexpert.com/2025/12/02/l...
As an Illinoisan, it is a very odd feeling to be proud of your governor.
Governor JB Pritzker@govpritzker.illinois.gov · 11mo ago"Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." Looking forward to seeing Jimmy back on the air.
A lot of September was devoted to moving Credit Slips to a WordPress. I fought the Internet, and the score is Bob 1, Internet 0. Check out the new Credit Slips blog, same as the old blog but with better formatting. P.S. -- A big shoutout to the IT support here at Illinois for their help.
Credit Slips@creditslipsblog.bsky.social · 11mo agoWelcome to the New Credit Slips creditslips.org/2025/09/23/w...
This is low-hanging fruit that one would think all would agree on. It should not be any more difficult to cancel a consumer contract than it is to enter into it.
Credit Slips@creditslipsblog.bsky.social · 11mo ago
On Aug 15, @bji.bsky.social hosted a book event for Debt's Grip. Judge Erithe Smith led a discussion about the book with me and my co-authors, @boblawless.bsky.social and Debb Thorne. We talked about themes and presented some key data. Recording now available! www.law.berkeley.edu/research/bji...
Debt's Grip
law.berkeley.edu
Welcome to Bluesky @law.illinois.edu And thank you to Chris Davies for doing such an excellent job hosting this podcast
University of Illinois College of Law@law.illinois.edu · 11mo agoWe're excited to be on Bluesky, sharing the great things happening at Illinois Law. We recently launched season 2 of our podcast with an episode featuring Professor @boblawless.bsky.social discussing his new book, Debt's Grip. Check it out where you get podcasts or on YouTube. youtu.be/Vi-_ojdA-58
Working hard to get Credit Slips moved. Thank you to the hardworking IT staff at the University of Illinois for their help.
Credit Slips@creditslipsblog.bsky.social · 11mo agoOur blog hosting service, Typepad, is shutting down. Their original announcement said the site would be available until September 30. Our blog and every other Typepad blog has now been done for over a day. We are moving Credit Slips to WordPress. We should be back online in a few days.
A post on a very much an "inside baseball" topic but an issue that just annoys me because it is so easy to get this right.
Credit Slips@creditslipsblog.bsky.social · 12mo agoAgree. See www.creditslips.org/creditslips/...
Arbitration for Thee, But Not for Mike Lindell - Credit Slips
The Eighth Circuit has overturned an arbitration award in favor of a software developer who took up the $5 million challenge of MyPillow founder, Mike Lindell, to "Prove Mike Wrong" about his claims t...
creditslips.org
Raffi Melkonian@rmfifthcircuit.bsky.social · last yr.So, the Eighth Circuit yesterday effectively vacated an arbitration award against Mike Lindell (My Pillow), saying that the arbitrators had exceeded their powers. I'm sure this decision won't get much scrutiny. But I am candidly a little bewildered. 1/ ecf.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/25/07...
www.creditslips.org/creditslips/...
Arbitration for Thee, But Not for Mike Lindell - Credit Slips
The Eighth Circuit has overturned an arbitration award in favor of a software developer who took up the $5 million challenge of MyPillow founder, Mike Lindell, to "Prove Mike Wrong" about his claims t...
creditslips.org
Direct File exists. We already paid for it. So we are now trashing software that we have already paid for, that people are using, that people *love*, in the name of "efficiency." Yes, blame the Trump administration for this, but Intuit has been desperate to murder Direct File for years.
makena kelly@makenakelly.bsky.social · last yr.SCOOP: DOGE moved to kill Direct File, the IRS's popular free tax filing tool, days after meeting with private tax filing software lobbyists. www.wired.com/story/doge-d...
The student loan changes have lots of issues. These are some observations about what is coming for legal education. Tl;dr -- it would be great if students did not borrow so much for law school but in the real world where they do, this law will hurt them.
Credit Slips@creditslipsblog.bsky.social · last yr.Someday in a legal academic's career, they must complain about law reviews. Today was that day for me.
Credit Slips@creditslipsblog.bsky.social · last yr.From my colleague, Matt Finkin, about the parallels between to a previous seizure of power in 1930s Germany. Worth a read. verdict.justia.com/2025/06/05/t... @justiaverdict.bsky.social
The “Seizure of Power” 2025: An Historical Reflection
Illinois Law professor Matthew W. Finkin draws a detailed historical comparison between Donald Trump’s 2025 actions as U.S. president and key elements of the Nazi regime’s early consolidation of power...
verdict.justia.com
In two months, on August 5, my new co-authored book, Debt's Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy, published by University of California Press, will be out! (Co-authored with @boblawless.bsky.social and Deborah Thorne, University of Idaho.) More about the book here: www.ucpress.edu/books/debts-...
Debt's Grip by Pamela Foohey, Robert Lawless, Deborah Thorne - Paper
Scholarship is a powerful tool for changing how people think, plan, and govern. By giving voice to bright minds and bold ideas, we seek to foster understanding and drive progressive change.
ucpress.edu
Dear President Trump, Below is an executive order that crossed my desk today. I just feel you should be aware that some jackass is signing your name to stupid orders on meaningless bullshit. Under His Eye, /s/ P.S. -- Even this one is still illegal. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Maintaining Acceptable Water Pressure in Showerheads
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose.
whitehouse.gov
I'm calling for an investigation into whether President Trump manipulated the market to benefit his Wall Street donors—all while working people and small businesses paid the price. Did Trump help insiders cash in on his tariff flip-flopping? It sure looks like corruption.
Did Trump help insiders cash in on his tariff flip-flopping?
YouTube video by Senator Elizabeth Warren
youtu.be
This is my new all-time favorite Xkcd, explaining exactly why the tariffs are so dumb. xkcd.com/3073/
Tariffs
xkcd.com
Wait, you mean there is hypocrisy in the Trump administration?
Acyn@acyn.bsky.social · last yr.CNN put together a collection of clips of various Trump officials who were on the signal chat criticizing Hillary Clinton’s email server
Some interesting points from Adam Levitin about 23andme's bankruptcy filing. I am not sure I agree about the stay violation but also not sure I disagree. Worth a read.
Credit Slips@creditslipsblog.bsky.social · last yr.The Trump Administration has fired another effective and dedicated public servant.
Credit Slips@creditslipsblog.bsky.social · last yr.On top of all the other mean-spirited, discriminatory, and moronic things our new corporate overlords have done, they now have me rooting for Capital One.
Credit Slips@creditslipsblog.bsky.social · last yr.Wait, I can simply switch between my personal account and the Credit Slips account. I don't need to logout and login? This is already better than the Bad Place. And, yes, for those of you in the field, we now have a blog account as well. Stay tuned.