Is LRAP a good backup plan for striking out Forum

[Mr. Somebody]

I was reading about the LRAP program and as far as I can tell just about any government job qualifies. So if I get a library page job and keep it for ten years I won't have to worry about repaying debt. Why don't more grads do this instead of doc review or shitlaw?

[JetsFan1990]

From my understanding, not every school has a Loan Repayment Assistance Program.

[ChikaBoom]

That sounds like a plan. Then, after spending 10 years working in a library for 10 bucks an hour, you can head out into the legal industry with no connections and no substantive work experience.

Opportunity costs, bro.

[Mr. Somebody]

That sounds like a plan. Then, after spending 10 years working in a library for 10 bucks an hour, you can head out into the legal industry with no connections and no substantive work experience.

Opportunity costs, bro.

What about joining the military?

[twenty]

You mean JAG? Super competitive. As an officer through OCS (or whatevs), better than working in a library, but you'll still come away with no legal experience or connections.

[cinephile]

Are you talking about your school's LRAP or Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)? Because I looked into my school's LRAP and ours covers gov/PI legal work, but I'm not sure that it would cover working in a public library. But different schools may have different programs.

[Mr. Somebody]

Are you talking about your school's LRAP or Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)? Because I looked into my school's LRAP and ours covers gov/PI legal work, but I'm not sure that it would cover working in a public library. But different schools may have different programs.

Example:


The Berkeley Law LRAP is designed to aid Berkeley Law graduates who earned the Juris Doctor (JD) degree and are employed by either 501(c)(3) nonprofit public interest organizations or government agencies. Graduates must apply within three and a half years of graduation, and all previous participants may re-enter the program at any time if employment and income requirements are met. For 1-year clerkships, please see details in our guidelines.

[BruceWayne]

You mean JAG? Super competitive. As an officer through OCS (or whatevs), better than working in a library, but you'll still come away with no legal experience or connections.

LOL No.

[ChikaBoom]

That sounds like a plan. Then, after spending 10 years working in a library for 10 bucks an hour, you can head out into the legal industry with no connections and no substantive work experience.

Opportunity costs, bro.

What about joining the military?

Well, provided you did manage a JAG position, which sounds pretty unlikely, you might just be set. Even if you went in to the military for a different purpose, it would still look better than 'LOL- I work in a library so I don't have to pay my loans'. I have to say, I wouldn't hire you just based on that.

Now, if you tried to get into the field and couldn't for whatever reason (aside from abject stupidity), then working a federal job to earn credit towards LRAP/Loan forgiveness would only benefit you by reducing your debt in the long run. It wouldn't help you advance your position in life any. Why are you going to law school again?

[2014]

Several schools require you to work in at least a JD preferred job to qualify for LRAP. However, with IBR combined with PSLF you could pay your own loan payments while working in a library or whatever, it would just have been a massive waste of 13 years of your life.

[twenty]

LOL No.

I can't help but think even if you disagree, you have to at least see where I'm coming from. So explain why you think that's not the case -- I think I'm entitled to a bit more than "LOL No."

[IAFG]

If it were easy to get an LRAP-eligability gig, there would not be so many PI-focused T14 grads freaking out because they don't have a job lined up. And Corsair wouldn't be doing doc review.

[adt231]

If it were easy to get an LRAP-eligability gig, there would not be so many PI-focused T14 grads freaking out because they don't have a job lined up. And Corsair wouldn't be doing doc review.

Not true. PI-focused T14 grads are freaking out because they don't have a legal job lined up. To qualify for the fed government's very generous PSLF (i.e. shortened IBR) program, you need any job at a NGO or gov't agency.

Of course, if they really want to be lawyers, then their 'freaking out' is understandable. But, assuming these are PI-oriented lawyers, presumably they are PI-oriented because there is some social good that they want to work towards bringing about/actualizing in society. And if bringing about that social good is really their goal, they will probably realize sooner or later that being a lawyer is usually not the only way to work towards bringing about their desired ends.

[quiver]

LOL No.

I can't help but think even if you disagree, you have to at least see where I'm coming from. So explain why you think that's not the case -- I think I'm entitled to a bit 20% more than "LOL No."

To add something productive: I think one of the main draws of JAG is that it provides earlier substantive experience than many other legal jobs.