National Jurist - October 2008 - (Page 16) Pledging to work in public interest Through a new program, Harvard Law School is waiving the third year of tuition for students who satisfy requirements and commit to working five years in public interest law after graduation. ublic service-minded students at Harvard Law School now have more than just loan repayment assistance programs to help them curb tuition costs. The school recently announced a new Public Service Initiative Program, a fiveyear pilot program where the school will waive the third By Ursula Furi-Perry, Esq. year of tuition for students who satisfy certain summer job, public interest clinic and community involvement requirements. They also pledge to work five years in public service after graduation. Dean Elena Kagan said the school was inspired to start the program after the latest round of salary increases for new associates, which has made for a huge disparity between private law firm and public interest salaries. “That disparity has gotten so large and seems to be continually growing, making it less tempting for students to enter public service positions right after graduation,” she said. October 2008 THE NATIONAL JURIST 16 Students who enroll in the program can still take advantage of the school’s loan repayment program as well, and the program doesn’t exclude participants from seeking other financial aid to reduce their debt. But unlike loan repayment, students will benefit from the new program’s instant impact on their finances, Kagan said. The idea is for students to recognize the possibility of going into public interest work right out of law school, with less worry about being able to afford law school http://www.law.harvard.edu
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