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CAREER CORNER
How to Survive on a Public Interest Salary [by Karen A. Lefkowitz] In 2003 Congress reviewed a bill that would provide financial assistance to law school graduates who choose to accept employment in a public interest position. If ratified, this bill would become the “Public Interest Lawyer Assistance and Relief Act.” It has become abundantly clear to the government, employers, American Bar Association, law schools, and the students pursuing public interest work that financial support is deeply needed. Surviving on a public interest salary can be difficult, but there are ways to help ease the burden.
Employment in public interest law includes:
helps provide support to public-service-
LRAPs are not limited to law schools. There
nonprofit, legal services, public defender,
minded law students. In 2004 they issued
are state-sponsored and Federal LRAPs.
government work, prosecutor, judge advo-
the report “Financing the Future,” which
Ms. Lash suggested students check with the
cate general, private practice, self employ-
discussed the financial assistance available
American Bar Association for more informa-
ment, judicial clerkships, academics, and
to those in public interest law.
non-legal organizations.
tion, as well as Equal Justice Works’ website, www.equaljusticeworks.org.
Ms. Lash stated that the most common form According to the National Association of Law
of assistance is law-school-based LRAPs,
Financing the Future reported that 15 federal
Placement (NALP), which serves as a source
Loan Repayment Assistance Programs.
government departments and 63 government
of information for legal career planning and
LRAPs offer grants or forgivable loans to
agencies offer LRAP assistance to eligible
recruitment, median entry-level salaries
graduates in the public interest sector to
employees. The federal government’s human
for public interest jobs start at $34,000. For
help repay portions of their education debts.
resources agency, The Office of Personnel
specific occupations, the median entry-
LRAPs can make a tremendous difference in
Management, can also provide information.
level salary for public defenders is $39,000,
the management of educational debt. Financ-
$40,000 starting for state and local prosecut-
ing the Future reported that more than 75
Other LRAP options are employer and fel-
ing attorneys, and $36,700 for attorneys in
law schools offer LRAPs, and more than 20
lowship programs that offer LRAP benefits to
public interest organizations.
are working on establishing LRAPs. Ms. Lash
those who qualify. On Equal Justice Works’
recommended students thoroughly research
website, the Finance a Career section lists
whether their school offers LRAPs.
organizations offering LRAP benefits to em-
are two financial worries that plague stu-
She continued, “All LRAPs are not created
can be an important issue to discuss with
dents who choose a public interest career--
equal and depend on the student’s unique
prospective employers. Fellowship programs
paying back ridiculous loans and the salaries
circumstance.”
can be researched either on the Internet
Marnie L. Glaeberman, Director of Public
ployees. During the job-search process, this
Service Initiatives at NALP, stated that “there
or through a law school’s career center or
themselves. Loan repayment is a huge issue that weighs on people. In terms of the pay, a
Typically an LRAP candidate must have
salary in the $30,000 range gives people who
employment that qualifies as public interest
owe a tremendous amount pause.”
work and falls within a certain income level.
There are also public interest scholarships.
Financing the Future reported that awards
Many schools offer various types of public in-
The American Bar Association reported in
can range from $500 to $10,000.
2002 that almost 87% of law students bor-
financial aid office.
terest scholarships that come in the form of tuition reductions or stipends. Ms. Glaeber-
rowed to finance their educations. Karen
For tax purposes, students need to know if
Lash, a former associate dean at USC Law
the LRAP is counted as a grant or forgivable
School and current VP of Programs at Equal
loan. The 1997 Taxpayer Relief Act stated
“Some schools offer a split summer program
Justice Works, stated, “The average amount
that the award could not be taxed so long as
for students committed to practicing public
a law school student can expect to owe is
it was a “forgivable loan,” i.e., a loan to be
interest law. A student gets to earn a firm-
$80,000; this figure does not include loans
canceled, and not a grant that can be taxed
level salary by spending half the summer
incurred during undergraduate study.”
as income. The recipient also had to be em-
working for the firm and the other half work-
ployed by a governmental unit or nonprofit.
ing in the public interest sector. These are
Equal Justice Works is an organization that
PAGE 1
man described one type.
competitive programs but, if available, can
continued on back