Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)
“The Vermont Bar Foundation loan repayment assistance program is essential to being able to attract qualified candidates to public service jobs. New attorneys routinely come out of law school with $200K of educational debt, and literally cannot afford to take jobs with the public defense system with out this assistance. Many thanks are due to the VBF for making this a priority.”
—Matthew Valerio, Defender General, State of Vermont
“I am extremely grateful to the Vermont Bar Foundation for its loan repayment assistance program. Many newly minted attorneys simply cannot afford to engage in public service: legal services, public defense, or public interest law because of the staggering debt that is, unfortunately, the norm for today’s law school graduate. Since its inception, the assistance I have received from the VBF has provided crucial financial support for my family as I juggle the demands of providing legal services on a shoestring budget with my other financial obligations. I love my job at Vermont Legal Aid, but the truth is that without some form of loan repayment assistance I simply could not afford to represent low-income Vermonters. Your program helps make that possible. Thank you.”
—Christopher J. Curtis, Staff Attorney, Vermont Legal Aid
Since 2007, the Vermont Bar Foundation has awarded $319,850 to Vermont attorneys to help them repay their law school debt. Individual grants range from $500 to $5,000 per year. Licensed attorneys must be employed by a qualifying employer and must meet income eligibility requirements to be considered for the program.
Graduates who aspire to pursue public service jobs are faced with unique challenges as they attempt to secure the means to meet their monthly educational loan obligations while facing the prospect of earning traditionally lower salaries.
The Vermont Bar Foundation is committed to supporting attorneys who choose to work in the public service sector.
LRAP is currently open to attorneys employed by:
- Disability Rights Vermont
- Have Justice-Will Travel, Inc.
- Legal Services LawLine of Vermont
- Office of the Public Defenders, (Employees)
- Safeline
- South Royalton Legal Clinics of Vermont Law School
- Spectrum Youth and Family Services
- Vermont Immigration and Asylum Advocates
- Vermont Legal Aid, Inc.
