At its core, access to justice requires dedicated lawyers willing to pursue careers in legal aid and public service in the face of often overwhelming financial challenges. Many law students must forgo a public service career because of overwhelming law school loans, while scores of public service attorneys struggle to make ends meet and often find it impossible to continue in public service work due to the financial burdens. Like funding for legal aid generally, this is a responsibility of all justice system stakeholders-the federal and state government, law schools and the legal community each must do their share.

There have been notable federal advances in addressing loan forgiveness for lawyers working in the public interest, highlighted by the passage of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 (CCRAA). In addition, two important new loan repayment programs were signed into law with one-year appropriations in 2010 that provided federal loan repayment assistance to lawyers working in the public interest: one that assists civil legal aid lawyers and one that assists state prosecutors and federal and state public defenders. Unfortunately, in 2011, funding for the program for civil legal aid lawyers was eliminated and funding for the federal loan repayment assistance program for state prosecutors and federal and state public defenders was reduced.

On the state level, a new loan repayment program was signed into law in 2009, which is called the Public Interest Attorney Assistance Act (PIAAA). Funding has not yet been appropriated for the PIAAA; but when funding is made available, the PIAAA will help key public service offices in our State by providing much-needed loan repayment assistance to attorneys who commit to serving vulnerable Illinoisans.

Continued funding for these federal loan forgiveness programs and initial funding for the state loan repayment program is essential. Together with national and state partners, the CBF continues to advocate for funding for these important loan repayment and forgiveness programs.

More information about federal forgiveness programs can be found in the CBF's fact sheet and frequently asked questions.

Read more about the PIAAA.

For more information about the CBF's advocacy efforts around federal and state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs and to get involved, please contact Danielle Hirsch at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (312) 554-4952.