As Consumer Needs Rise, Bay Area Legal Introduces New Consumer & Federal Litigation Services Position
Amanda J. Allen is appointed Director of Consumer and Federal Litigation, leading a new area of practice that was developed directly in response to community demand.
Consumer legal issues are among the top three areas of rising legal need identified in Bay Area Legal Services’ 2026 Legal Needs Assessment.
From predatory telemarketing and robocalls, to deceptive or unfair business practices, consumer fraud, and scams, these are just a few of the issues people in our community are facing, often without anywhere to turn for legal help.
Bay Area Legal Services is meeting this growing need head-on with a new Consumer and Federal Litigation area of practice, led by Amanda J. Allen, who stepped into the role in July 2026.
"When the economy suffers, consumer issues rise," Allen said. "We're seeing that firsthand in the people who come to us for help."
Allen previously served as a staff attorney with Bay Area Legal's Bedke Veterans Law Center and Veterans Legal Helpline. Before joining the Bay Area Legal, she practiced at a large law firm and later co-founded a private law practice. Over the course of her 15-year legal career, she has spent 13 years focused exclusively on federal consumer litigation and has received national recognition for her work protecting the rights of consumers.
[Consumer issues] touch nearly every area of our work, from veterans and seniors, to housing and disaster recovery. Consumer protection is woven into so many of the challenges our clients are facing."
Successful consumer litigation can generate attorney fees that are reinvested into Bay Area Legal’s mission and services, providing additional support for the work we do across our community. This allows us to continue growing our capacity to meet the needs we see in our community and create more pathways to justice for those who might otherwise have nowhere to turn.
Consumer issues we can help with:
- Predatory or abusive telemarketing/robocalls
- Deceptive or unfair business practices
- Consumer fraud and scams
- Abusive debt collection
- Credit reporting violations
- Predatory lending & financial services abuse
- Unfair or deceptive advertising
- Identity theft and more
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