Alexandria, Va.— ABI announces that Jessica Méndez-Colberg of Student Loan Advisors PR (Ponce, P.R.) has been selected as one of ABI’s “40 Under 40,” ABI’s award program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony on Dec. 13 during ABI’s 2024 Winter Leadership Conference at The Phoenician Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Méndez-Colberg is the founder and CEO of Student Loan Advisors PR in Ponce, Puerto Rico, where she specializes in providing legal counsel in the area of student loan law in Puerto Rico. Previously, she was a capital partner and vice president at Bufete Emmanuelli, C.S.P., where she led its Bankruptcy and Consumer Law Division for 10 years and mostly focused on consumer bankruptcies under chapters 7 and 13, as well as other consumer issues and labor law. She also developed a unique expertise in student loan law, a topic that no other lawyers on the island specialize in. This unique student loan practice led Méndez-Colberg to found her firm, through which she has been able to aid people in achieving financial wellness, mostly via avoiding bankruptcy and restructuring their finances to fulfill their life goals through financial planning or student debt forgiveness. She also maintains a solo practice as a bankruptcy lawyer and provides legal counseling to small businesses, particularly women-owned businesses, on labor and financial matters.

Méndez-Colberg is a public notary and mediator authorized by the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. She is admitted to the federal court for the District of Puerto Rico, the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. Méndez-Colberg currently is pursuing an LL.M. in tax law and has published several law review articles and other works in newspapers and journals on such topics as student loans, labor law, bankruptcy, torts, and civil procedure combined with evidence. In addition, she has served as a delegate of the governing board of the Puerto Rico Bar Association for the past eight years and is an active member of various commissions, including the Bankruptcy and Young Lawyers Commissions. Méndez-Colberg also has collaborated as a lecturer and speaker for universities and the general public on matters of labor law, student loans and bankruptcy.

Méndez-Colberg is the designated attorney for several regions of the Bar Association to provide pro bono consultations on bankruptcy matters, and for a decade, she has served as a pro bono speaker for the Business Training Program for Entrepreneur Women at the Center for Puerto Rico, Sila Calderón Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides numerous resources to help entrepreneurial women achieve their small business goals.

“We are honored to celebrate the exceptional leaders within the 2024 class as they continue to make a significant impact both in their practice and in their communities,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “As bankruptcy practice continues to evolve, this diverse collection of honorees will propel ABI and the insolvency community forward.”

The “40 Under 40” winners are distinguished by professional achievements and service and were selected by a group of experienced professionals from ABI’s current leadership. Now in its eighth year, the goal of ABI’s “40 Under 40” award program is not simply to create a one-time ceremony, but to fully engage those selected as future leaders in the insolvency profession and to build on the initiative each year.

Click here to view the full list of the 2024 “40 Under 40” honorees.

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ABI is the largest multi-disciplinary, nonpartisan organization dedicated to research and education on matters related to insolvency. ABI was founded in 1982 to provide Congress and the public with unbiased analysis of bankruptcy issues. The ABI membership includes nearly 10,000 attorneys, accountants, bankers, judges, professors, lenders, turnaround specialists and other bankruptcy professionals, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information. For additional information on ABI, visit www.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.