Press Release
From the Office of
State Representative
Gale D. Candaras

17 Main Street Wilbraham, MA

Room 478 State House, Boston, MA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT: Darlotte J. Gay
	413-599-4785
	617-722-2520
	dgay@galecandaras.org

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CANDARAS PROPOSES LEGISLATION TO ENCOURAGE CAREERS IN PUBLIC INTEREST LAW

WILBRAHAM, MA -- November 22, 2004 -- Representative Gale D. Candaras is proposing legislation to establish a program to encourage law students and attorneys to engage in the full-time practice of public interest law.

Representative Candaras noted that the University of Massachusetts is currently considering a merger with the unaccredited Southern New England School of Law, reportedly to advance public interest law. "Creating an assistance program to help pay off student loans is a far less expensive and more efficient way of accomplishing the same goal rather than establishing yet another law school in the Commonwealth," she observed. The state already has seven accredited and two unaccredited law schools.

The program would provide funds to help attorneys pay off educational loans used to finance their undergraduate and law school educations. In exchange, recipients of such assistance would be required to engage in the full-time practice of public interest law, which includes certain types of service in government and the private sector.

"Through the years, law students and attorneys have told me they would love to work in public interest law, but cannot afford to do so. The cost of higher education and the indebtedness resulting from its pursuit force law students and attorneys to accept employment that offers sufficient compensation to pay off their educational loans," Representative Candaras added.

The Candaras proposal would create a law student repayment assistance program administered by a loan repayment management committee. The eligibility criteria focus on full-time employment in law-related public interest work. The management committee would be composed of representatives from each of the Commonwealth's accredited law schools and appointees of the Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the President of the Senate. Currently, the states of Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, and Texas have statewide loan repayment assistance programs.

Funding for the program would be a mix of public and private contributions. The grants to applicants would derive from legislative appropriations and private fund raising. The law schools would be required to furnish sufficient staff and facilities to operate the program.