It is with great pleasure that we’re able to announce Aditi Deal as the winner of this year’s ‘American Dream’ Law School Scholarship for her essay comparing lemon law in India, her country of origin, and the United States, where she is now a citizen.
The ‘American Dream’ Scholarship was introduced by Lemberg Law principal Sergei Lemberg in an effort to help immigrants to the United States obtain their degrees with a minimum of student debt.
As an immigrant himself, Lemberg, who came to the U.S. from the former Soviet Union in pursuit of his own American Dream, has a passion for helping young people who are following in his footsteps. “I’m so pleased to award Aditi the ‘American Dream’ Scholarship,” Lemberg said in response to the announcement. “I was really impressed with her essay, and I wish her all the best in her budding law career.”
Aditi, who will be attending the University of Houston to study for her J.D. in the fall, said she was stunned when she found out she’d won. “I was so excited and honored to receive the scholarship. Law school is an expensive endeavor, and every dollar that contributes is beyond helpful.” Aditi was also quick to point out the poignancy of being recognized for this award in particular, adding: “To win a scholarship that highlights my immigrant background was especially meaningful.”
Aditi graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in English Literature before going on to earn a master’s degree in Instructional Design from John Hopkins University in Baltimore. She worked as a teacher for four years, before moving to San Antonio to work in corporate training.
It was her time as a teacher that inspired Aditi to pursue a law career, having seen first-hand the profound impact the law had on her students. “I realized that so much of what society faces every day is rooted in the law, and I want to gain the tools to impact change at the roots, whatever that may look like.”
Aditi’s winning submission compares lemon law in the United States and in India, pointing out that in India, due to overpopulation and high levels of poverty, “Consumer protection laws are not the priority.” In fact, as Aditi explains, “There are currently no laws in place to protect consumers in the event they purchase, for example, a car that turns out to be a dud. Indian laws do not even require a car manufacturer to provide warranties”.
Despite this, Aditi holds some optimism for the future of consumer law in India, as she explains at the end of her essay. “A petition is currently circulating the internet calling for Indian consumers to rally their voices and seek a lemon law from the government. As an American citizen, I truly hope the petition passes, and that my Indian counterparts can enjoy the rights to ethical, quality purchases that I do.”
About the Author:
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
