preLaw Magazine - Fall 2008 - (Page 34) ity of people that come to law school are interested in thinking and talking about justice,” she said. “Traditionally law schools have failed to support that interest in a variety of ways. It’s one of the reasons we’re so successful.” But the bad trends cannot be overlooked. Stern said law school rankings have a really pernicious effect on the way law schools spend their money. Those rankings do not measure what goes on inside the institution and the quality of education, he added. “I see how these law schools are so beholden to the criteria used in the rankings,” he said. “It’s just unfortunately a cycle. In my view, applicants should go in and look for qualities that matter to them.” Anderson said those in the field dedicate themselves to the disenfranchised people in the world who desperately need the service of lawyers. “I think it’s a moral obligation for a lawyer to at least engage in pro bono practice,” she said. “So it’s heartening to see that schools are increasingly attending to the needs of students to try and engage in public interest practice.” “But the need in the world is much greater than what law schools are producing today,” she added. “So we have much further to go as legal academy to try and service the real needs of the poor and disempowered in the world.” Financial assistance improves Spieler said the biggest challenge continues — law school is very expensive and many of the public sector and public interest job salaries have simply not kept up. Now people with this passion have to confront the fact that they have to figure out how to pay off loan debt. “That’s really a core challenge at this point,” Spieler said. “When I went to law school you could graduate with debt and work it off, and now it’s difficult for students to do.” But a major law school development has been the increase in Loan Repayment Assistance Programs. Spieler said Northeastern is dedicated to strengthening its loan repayment program, which began in 1994. The law school now provides half a million dollars a year in support to students. Many other law schools have beefed up their LRAP budgets. They vary in generosity and terms included, but it’s been an area of significant growth. There is also that sense of isolation. Now a significant amount of law school groups raise money by conducting auctions and tithing programs. Stern said the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 was a terrific and surprise development. And in August, the Higher Education Reauthorization and College Opportunity Act of 2008 was signed. It establishes four new loan forgiveness and repayment programs that benefit public interest lawyers. They are: • The John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act — providing $10,000 per year in exchange for a one time renewable three-year commitment for state and local prosecutors and public defenders. • The Legal Assistance Loan Repayment Program — providing $6,000 per year in renewable three-year commitments to a maximum of $40,000 for civil legal assis- Don’t just study the law—practice it. At America’s #1-ranked law school for advocacy, Stetson students practice their trial skills in seven state-of-the-art courtrooms. Or, observe appellate arguments at the Tampa Law Center, one of only three law school facilities in the U.S. shared by a working court. 1401 61st St. S., Gulfport, FL 33707 • 1700 N. Tampa St., Tampa, FL 33602 727.562.7802 • www.law.stetson.edu • lawadmit@law.stetson.edu 34 preLaw http://www.law.stetson.edu http://www.law.stetson.edu
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