Fred W. Schwinn is a licensed attorney admitted to practice in the States of California and Kansas.  Fred is the shareholder and owner of the Consumer Law Center, Inc.  His practice is dedicated exclusively to representing consumer debtors in bankruptcy, stopping predatory and abusive consumer lending practices,  and protecting consumers from illegal debt collection activity.

In 1997, Fred graduated from Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas where he organized and volunteered at the law school's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site.  While other law students were training in the law school's legal clinic, Fred began his legal career in the trenches by filing his own lawsuit against an internet service provider and his credit card company for repeatedly charging his credit card for internet services that he never received.  He opened his law practice directly out of law school and has been enjoying his private plaintiff's practice ever since.

In 1994, Fred graduated magna cum laude from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.  Fred passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountants Examination in 1995 and he currently holds a Kansas Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant.  Before going to college, Fred worked as a Machinist in a machine shop and as a Maintenance Mechanic in a book bindery.

Fred volunteers with the Pro Bono Project in San Jose, California where he annually conducts several consumer seminars on bankruptcy and debt collection defense.  Fred maintains an ongoing pro-bono legal services commitment in the area of consumer and debtor rights.

In addition to being admitted to practice in California and Kansas state and federal courts, Fred was also recently admitted in the Supreme Court of the United States and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.  He was born in Ottawa, Kansas in 1966 and lives in Fremont, California.

Bar Memberships

            Supreme Court of the United States, 2003

            U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, 1999

            U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2003

            U.S. District Court, District of Kansas, 1997

            U.S. District Court, W.D. Missouri, 2001

            U.S. District Court, N.D. California, 2003

U.S. District Court, E.D. California, 2003

U.S. District Court, C.D. California, 2003

            State of Kansas, 1997

            State of California, 2003

Professional Associations and Memberships

            The Bar Association of San Francisco

            Santa Clara County Bar Association

            Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum

            California Bankruptcy Forum

            Consumer Attorneys of California

            National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys

            National Association of Consumer Advocates

            Topeka Bar Association

            Topeka Area Bankruptcy Council