Since 2006, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has made forgivable loans to attorneys employed full-time by LSC-funded legal services programs (LSC grantees) to help them repay their law school debt. The Herbert S. Garten Loan Repayment Assistance Program1 (LRAP) helps LSC grantees recruit and retain qualified attorney staff. Attorneys selected for the program may receive forgivable loans for up to three (3) years depending on eligibility and available funding. For each annual term, the loan payment may be forgiven if the attorney remains eligible and employed during the entire annual cycle at the employing LSC grantee.

Beginning with the 2025 fiscal year, LSC will expand the program to permit LRAP recipients to utilize LRAP funds to also repay undergraduate debt. This Program Description applies to all applications submitted for the annual cycle that commences October 1, 2024.

Depending on available funding, LSC may need to use a lottery system to select eligible attorneys (the actual number of loans made each year depends on available funding) to participate. Application submissions from eligible attorneys may outweigh the loans to be provided. Selected attorneys will receive an LRAP loan, which must be used during the 12 month LRAP cycle of October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 to pay qualifying undergraduate and law school loans and accrued interest. If the selected attorney fully spends the LRAP funds on eligible loan payments and stays employed in good standing with a LSC grantee through the required twelve months from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, as certified by the Executive Director of the LSC grantee, then LSC will forgive the loan (presuming the participating attorney meets all other terms and conditions of the loan agreement). If the attorney does not comply with all of the LRAP requirements, then the entire loan must be paid back to LSC, unless LSC determines the participating attorney had good cause as described below (See Section II.F Loan Default). An attorney’s participation in the first year of the LRAP is based on eligibility demonstrated in the initial application and selection. To participate for a second and third year, the attorney must submit information demonstrating continued employment with the same LSC grantee and other eligibility requirements.

If eligible, an attorney may participate in the second and third year even if the attorney’s net worth now exceeds the LRAP’s eligibility requirements. All loans are contingent upon available funds. There is no guarantee that an eligible attorney will receive funds for a second and third year. Attorneys are encouraged to apply in consecutive years. All selected attorneys must agree to participate in a closeout process, which includes providing proof of spending of the funds, completing a recipient certification, and completion of an Executive Director certification. All selected attorneys must also agree to participate in evaluation activities may include the completion of surveys and participation in interviews.

OVERVIEW - Borrower states and agrees to the following terms and conditions: I am a licensed attorney employed with the LSC grantee (“Grantee”) identified above, which is a legal aid organization receiving funds from the Legal Services Corporation. I unconditionally promise to pay to the Lender Legal Services Corporation (LSC) the loan principal amount (“Loan Principal”) disbursed to me under LSC’s Herbert S. Garten Loan Repayment Assistance Program (“LSC’s LRAP”), plus applicable interest due and all other costs and charges described in this Promissory Note no later than the end of the Employment Period stated above, unless said loan principal is forgiven. LSC will forgive some or all the Loan Principal (cancelling my obligation to pay that amount) if I meet the terms of this Promissory Note, including continued employment at the Grantee for the entire Employment Period and using all the loan funds for qualifying law school debt during the Employment Period.

I. LRAP PROGRAM DESCRIPTION - I have read the terms and conditions of LSC’s LRAP Program Description, fully understand them, and agree to them as terms and conditions of this Promissory Note, incorporated by this reference. Specifically, I understand and agree that to receive forgiveness, I must remain in full-time employment as a licensed attorney with the employing LSC grantee for the entirety of the LRAP loan term, I must spend the full LRAP on qualifying loans, and I must fully spend the funds during the LRAP loan term. Otherwise, I will be in default and must repay the full balance plus any accrued interest. See the full text of LSC’s LRAP Program Description included immediately following this Promissory Note.