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Law School Forgives Loans for Alumni in Public Service
Harvard Law School (HLS) Dean Robert C. Clark has announced an extensive expansion of the Schools loan forgiveness program, making it one of the most generous programs of its kind in the country.
The Schools Low Income Protection Plan (LIPP), the oldest program of its kind in the country, forgives loans for HLS graduates who are working in law-related jobs and who are struggling with high educational debt obligations. HLS students currently graduate with an average law school debt of approximately $70,000.
Under new guidelines, alumni earning less than $31,000 the salary level for many legal service providers and local government attorneys will receive full loan forgiveness.
Another major reform concerns alumni with children. The program has increased dependency allowances, expanded coverage for parental leave, and expanded benefits for alumni working on a part-time basis after having children.
The School also has increased the salary ceiling for alumni to be eligible for loan forgiveness from $51,000 to $72,000. This increase is intended to keep alumni, such as those who are providing public service as federal government employees or as executives of public interest organizations, from being abruptly forced out of the LIPP program.
Other changes include new coverage of loans related to expenses for judicial clerkships and job interviews, and lowering the interest rate on LIPP loans.
“I am very happy that Harvard Law School is able to make these positive changes to its loan forgiveness program,” Clark said. “I am very grateful to the many loyal graduates whose continued strong support makes them possible.”
Harvard Law School established the LIPP in 1978 as the first program of its kind in the country. In 1987 the late dean James Vorenberg expanded the program, making it one of the most generous programs of its kind in the country.
More than 250 alumni benefit from LIPP while serving as district and state attorneys, public defenders, employees of federal agencies, legal services providers, and judicial clerks. The LIPP program costs Harvard Law School more that $1.5 million per year.
