2009 Legal Services Summer Fellowship Program

The Florida Bar Foundation is sponsoring the 2009 Summer Fellowship Program at legal aid and legal services programs in Florida . Approximately 40 full-time fellowships will be offered to first and second-year law students. The Legal Services Summer Fellowship Program runs for a period of 11 weeks and is a full-time position for the summer. Fellowship stipends are $5,500 for first-year students and $7,000 for second-year students for the eleven-week period

Student Eligibility and Selection Criteria
First and second-year law students attending accredited law schools are eligible to apply, as long as they are in good-standing with their law school. Minority students are specifically encouraged to apply. Among the factors to be considered in selections are: experience in working with the low-income community, academic achievement, writing skills, and previous contact with and long-term commitment/interest in public service/pro bono work. Law student applicants will be provided an opportunity to specify their program placement preference. Due to the necessity of insuring placement throughout Florida in a variety of programs and sites, student flexibility in preference sites may be a factor in selection.


Fellowship applications are available on The Florida Bar Foundation website and must be received Thursday, January 22, 2009.

College Cost Reduction & Access Act

For those students interested in learning more about the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, the recent press release from Equal Justice Works should be on your reading list. The release indicates that The Department of Education has released the final regulations that govern the Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Income-Based Repayment programs of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. Although the final regulations are significantly similar to the previously issued proposed rules, there are some important clarifications and changes which are outline in the Release. Some changes include:
>> The Department rejected suggestions for annual certification of eligibility, but stated that “we will continue to examine ways to assist borrowers who are interested in, or already employed in public service, to determine and document their eligibility for the loan forgiveness program.” Equal Justice Works continues to advise borrowers to collect and retain records that support the borrower’s eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
>>The Department announced its intention to develop a form for borrowers to use to apply for the public service loan forgiveness which will include “all the information the borrower and the borrower’s employer need regarding the eligibility criteria, applicable definitions, and procedures for applying for the loan forgiveness benefit.” Equal Justice Works will work with the Department to develop clear and simple administrative procedures.
>>The Department revised the definition of full-time to apply the ... to continue reading the entire press release, click HERE.