April 21, 2006

raduates of South Texas College of Law who pursue a career providing assistance to the state's poorest citizens now get their own relief from a first of its kind program. Through the Fred Parks Loan Repayment Assistance Program, the college is offering payments of $400 a month to alumni who are working for non-profit legal aid organizations that provide services directly to the poor. “One of the reasons we've seen a decline in the number of students going into public interest law is because they can't afford to,” says Associate Dean Catherine Burnett. “With the average graduate leaving law school with five-figure debt, the $400 a month applied directly to their loan may allow them to follow their heart instead of the money.”

South Texas is the first Texas law school to provide assistance of this kind to alumni. But, Burnett points out that promoting public interest law is an issue for all Texas law schools where several different plans are being discussed. “Meeting the legal needs of the state's poor has to be a multi-pronged approach by law schools, the bar and society,” says Burnett. “While this program doesn't increase the number of people practicing public interest law, it can make a difference whether someone stays in that job.”

The loan repayment program is funded by the Fred Parks Endowment at South Texas. Parks, a 1937 graduate, made numerous gifts to South Texas in his lifetime and through his will. These gifts fund a number of important initiatives, including the construction of the $16-million Fred Parks Law Library. Alumni seeking more information or who want to apply for this loan repayment assistance can contact Keuchie Reed at kreed@stcl.edu.