Elon Law hosted a state-wide conference organized by the North Carolina Legal Education Assistance Foundation (NCLEAF) on May 22. The group heard a presentation by Heather Jarvis of Equal Justice Works on the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 which provides exciting opportunities for income-based repayment and loan forgiveness options for public interest attorneys.
The conference was attended by approximately 30 people, including NCLEAF board members and administrators, admissions and financial aid officers from all of the North Carolina law schools, and several public interest attorneys from across the state.
“This was our first effort in the role of statewide convener and thanks to Elon’s superb hospitality and first-rate meeting facilities, it was a success,” said Esther Hall, executive director of NCLEAF. “Partnering with Elon Law to provide training about the impact of this new federal legislation on our highly deserving public interest was a great way to educate our colleagues across the state.”
In 1989, students and deans at North Carolina’s law schools formed NC LEAF as the nation’s first statewide loan repayment assistance program for attorneys working in public service careers. After its founding in 2006, Elon Law was pleased to join NCLEAF, and its first group of graduates in 2009 who pursue careers in public service will be eligible for NCLEAF assistance. Since the first funding cycle in 1991, NC LEAF has provided over two million dollars in loan repayment assistance to over 300 public service attorneys. Participating lawyers have accepted positions in which they aid the traditionally underserved populations of North Carolina, often at salaries which are a fraction of those of their counterparts who work at private law firms but with the same educational debt as these colleagues. NC LEAF helps these North Carolina lawyers pursue careers in public service through its educational loan repayment assistance program.