Re-posted from “LRAP News & Announcements” June 2010:
LRAP Benefits for Civil Legal Assistance Attorneys: First-Come, First-Served
Equal Justice Works reports that a new Federal loan repayment assistance program for civil legal aid attorneys is going to become available soon. The new program is called the Civil Legal Assistance Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program (CLAAP) and will assist already licensed graduates in the field of civil legal assistance with the repayment of eligible federal student loans. The attorneys will need to work full-time and remain employed for three years.
An attorney may be awarded up to $6,000 in repayment assistance in 2010 (actually received in 2011), and may be prioritized to receive assistance in future years if Congress continues to fund the program. An attorney may receive a lifetime maximum of $40,000 in assistance.
This program has been funded with five million dollars for the fiscal year 2010. The Department of Education will commit these funds to eligible civil legal assistance attorneys on a first-come, first-served basis.
Applications are expected to be due August 16, 2010. The date that applications will be available is unknown, but should be soon. Eligible attorneys should complete the application as soon as it is available because funds are unlikely to cover all applicants.
If you are enrolled in IBR and plan to apply for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness after 10 years of public service, please be aware of the ineligibility double-benefit clause pertaining to the loan repayment assistance program for civil legal aid attorneys and PSLF under CCRAA. Details are listed at Equal Justice Works.
The impact of CLAAP on LRAP support depends on your loan portfolio and repayment plan.