In 1999, Legal Aid of Western Missouri (LAWMO) implemented a loan repayment assistance program (LRAP) to help attorneys pay off law school educational loans. LAWMO provides a payment of $3,000 per year for a maximum of 3 years to each newly hired attorney who can produce evidence of an outstanding educational loan. That amount is payable in 2 installments of $1,500 each at the end of each 6 month period of employment. The $3,000 is a gross amount and is subject to tax withholding. LAWMO is currently researching ways to convert LAWMO's LRAP into a forgivable loan to avoid taxation of the benefit. If a participating employee leaves LAWMO at any time before an installment is payable, the payment, and all future payments are forfeited. At the end of the three-year period when the loan subsidy ends, the employee's base pay is increased $3,000. LAWMO has found this program helpful in recruitment especially in terms of competing with other public interest employers such as the public defenders' and the prosecutors' office.
Contact Information:
Richard Halliburton Legal Aid of Western Missouri 1125 Grand Avenue, Suite 1900 Kansas City, MO 64106 Phone: (816) 474-6750 Fax: (816) 474-1578 Email
LSC:
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