preLaw Magazine - Spring 2008 - (Page 25)

Continued from page 22 Since it began, Michigan has expanded its financial program and public service program. “Over time there have been more students who are taking interest in the financial support and partly in regards to students interested in public interest jobs,” Caminker said. “If you compare the spread, Michigan is usually at the high end of schools where students go into public interest.” Caminker said most school-based programs are more generous than those offered by the federal governments. Penn Law’s Toll Loan Forgiveness Program offers graduates working in public sector careers interest-free loans and repayment assistance. The amount of annual assistance is based on a formula that considers the applicant’s income and annual law school debt. In the past several years, Penn Law has strengthened its loan forgiveness program by modifying the income eligibility formula and increasing from $10,000 to $12,000 the amount of assistance a graduate can receive in any one year. Penn also offers Toll Public Interest Scholarships to select students, giving them the opportunity to make an important difference in the world in areas of most need. The scholarships provide full tuition in the first year and two-thirds tuition in the second and third years. Penn also provides funded summer internships in public service. “These programs are incredibly important, precisely as the starting salaries in some of the more traditional corporate law firms have gone up significantly in the last decade — compared to public interest jobs,” Caminker said. “The pressure on young students to forgo some of these public interest or government jobs is huge.” For those who will not receive loan forgiveness and are choosing the law firm route, becoming a wise borrower is essential to alleviate massive debt following graduation. Jeffrey Hanson, director of Borrower Education Services for the Access Group Inc., said the first step is to borrow the minimum and spend the minimum amount possible. “The less they can spend for the given law school they choose, the less they’ll end up owing,” he said. (Get more advice about wise borrowing from Hanson on page 27.) Bowes, who joined Baltimore’s Legal Aid Bureau Inc. in 2006, said she would be doing legal service work even if she was not involved in a loan forgiveness program. “I would find a way for it to work,” she said, though admitting the forgiveness alleviates a lot of stress. “Sometimes legal services attorneys think a little more with the heart than the head. We don’t get paid a lot. We’re in the work because we want to do it.” Bowes said it’s disheartening when critics say attorneys working in public interest law could reduce their debt burden by taking a higher-paying job. “We are not poor and are not going through the same things other people go through,” she said. “We know what we’re doing and we’re a lot better financially off than others.” ■ Michelle Weyenberg is associate editor of preLaw magazine. THE NEXT GENERATION of You’re smart. You’re talented. You belong at University of La Verne College of Law. We focus on your success through smaller classes, greater emphasis on the individual and personalized career development. Most notably, we provide a progressive environment infused with excitement, intellectual challenge and vast opportunity. As the only ABA-accredited law school in the fast-growing Inland Southern California region, we oﬀer full- and part-time legal education programs that include: • A highly diverse student body and faculty • A cooperative learning environment with a strong sense of community • Time-honored teaching methods integrated with the most advanced technology available • An educational emphasis on advocacy and ethics • Practical training in lawyering skills, including hands-on experience in law ﬁrms and courtrooms • Plentiful career opportunities in the fastest growing metropolitan area in the U.S., a region dramatically underserved by attorneys • Generous scholarships LAWYERS i s c o mi n g . WILL YOU BE ONE OF THEM? GREAT To find out more, visit us online at http://law.ulv.edu or call (877) 858-4529. The University of La Verne College of Law is provisionally accredited by the American Bar Association. Spring 2008 25 http://law.ulv.edu http://law.ulv.edu

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of preLaw Magazine - Spring 2008

preLaw Magazine - Spring 2008 Contents From the Editor For the Record Large Gender Gap Remains Among Political Hopefuls Man Charged in LSAT Scam Barry Dean Recognized New Report Examines Legal Ed Drexel Receives Accredidation New Mexico No. 1 for Hispanics A Film Journey in Law A Law Student at Last Debt Salvation Great Law Schools for Minorities Grad Opts Out of Big Firm Job Specialties Helpful Advice

preLaw Magazine - Spring 2008

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