UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SCHOOL OF LAW
LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The University of Maine School of Law Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) supports recent University of Maine School of Law graduates in law-related public interest careers by assisting them in the repayment of their educational debt.
The Program is made possible by an endowment fund (“Fund”) established by generous gifts from friends of the Law School. Income from this Fund together with giving from alumni and friends of the Law School and fundraising by student organizations, provide loan repayment assistance to graduates who practice public interest law.
Guidelines and Procedures
The goal of the Program is to encourage Maine Law graduates to pursue public interest careers. The Program does so by providing loans that are subject to cancellation if qualifying conditions are met. Recipients are determined by a committee appointed by the Dean (“Committee”). As a condition of the loan repayment assistance award (“LRAP Award”), Program recipients must provide the Law School with a commitment letter and promissory note affirming:
- The intent to remain in a law-related public interest position for at least a year following the grant of the award;
- A promise to repay the award should they not remain in a law-related public interest position for a minimum of one year, or if they fail to meet any other conditions of the award for that year, and;
- That the awards received from the Program will be used solely for the repayment of law school educational debt and for no other purposes.
The Committee shall determine annually the award recipients and the amount of each award. These determinations are based on:
- The funds available,
- The number of qualified applicants,
- The type of employment, and
- The relationship of each applicant’s salary to educational debt
The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine the number and amount of the annual award(s). The awards are renewable annually. In the early years of the Program, it is expected that awards will range from $1,500 to $3,000. The ultimate goal of the Program is to increase the size of the Fund so that the Program is able to fund a larger portion of a candidate’s annual consolidated educational debt.
Download application and indebtedness forms here. Please submit completed forms to:
Office of Student Affairs
Dean Sherry L. Abbott
126 Law Building
