Gonzaga LRAP Program
Qualifying Employment
Graduate must be engaged in full-time employment that is a law-related*, public interest/service position for, or under the direction of, a tax-exempt charitable organization (qualifying under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3), (4), or (5), or a governmental unit, including a position in, but not limited to:
- a public interest or community service organization,
- an international human rights organization,
- a legal aid office or clinic,
- a prosecutor’s office,
- a public defender’s office, or
- a state, local, or federal government office.**
*”Law related” means that the position must substantially utilize the legal training and skills of the graduate. Judicial law clerks are not considered to be engaged in “public interest/service” work.
**This category may include governmental units made up of groups of Indian tribes as defined by Internal Revenue Code section 7873 (b).
Qualifying Graduates
- Only Gonzaga University School of Law graduates may participate in this program.
- Graduates may not apply for support until they have graduated and are licensed attorneys.
- Graduates may receive support under this program only for so long as they are an active member in good standing with licensing bar authority.
- No graduate may receive support through the program for more than five years. All graduates, regardless of their graduation year, are eligible to apply, as long as they meet the other eligibility requirements.
Qualifying Debt
- Assistance for loan repayment under the program is limited only to those loans taken out by the applicant to pay for tuition and fees necessary to satisfy the applicant’s Juris Doctor degree requirements at Gonzaga University School of Law.
- Personal loans from banks or from other family members, as well as credit card and consumer debt are not covered under the LRAP program, even if such loans were used to finance the applicant’s legal education.
- The total student debt load of each individual applicant will be an important factor in making awards.
Income and Student Debt Level
- Total income is defined as the pay rendered for law related services provided before any deductions or exclusions.
- Assets owned by the graduate and additional income for the graduate from other sources, including but not limited to income from family members, a spouse, a domestic partner, or from trust funds or other inheritances and gifts, will also be considered by the school when allocating LRAP awards.
Accounts Current
- Graduates owing outstanding balances on their Gonzaga University School of Law student accounts are not eligible to apply for funds until the balance owed is paid in full.
- All participants in the LRAP must be current on their law school student education loans. Current means in deferment, forbearance, or making payments.
Participation in Other LRAP Programs
- Applicants to Gonzaga’s LRAP are required to report any assistance they are receiving or expect to receive from other private or governmental loan repayment assistance programs.
John R. Clark Program
The John R. Clark Loan Repayment Assistance Program is available to public defenders in the area in and around Spokane, Washington.
Qualifying Graduates
- Only Gonzaga University School of Law graduates may participate in this program.
- Graduates may not apply for support until they have graduated and are licensed attorneys.
- Graduates may receive support under this program only for so long as they are an active member in good standing with licensing bar authority.
- No graduate may receive support through the program for more than five years. All graduates, regardless of their graduation year, are eligible to apply, as long as they meet the other eligibility requirements.
Qualifying Debt
- Assistance for loan repayment under the program is limited only to those loans taken out by the applicant to pay for tuition and fees necessary to satisfy the applicant’s Juris Doctor degree requirements at Gonzaga University School of Law.
- Personal loans from banks or from other family members, as well as credit card and consumer debt are not covered under the LRAP program, even if such loans were used to finance the applicant’s legal education.
- The total student debt load of each individual applicant will be an important factor in making awards.
Income and Student Debt Level
- Assets owned by the graduate and additional income for the graduate from other sources, including but not limited to income from family members, a spouse, a domestic partner, or from trust funds or other inheritances and gifts, will also be considered by the school when allocating LRAP awards.
Accounts Current
- Graduates owing outstanding balances on their Gonzaga University School of Law student accounts are not eligible to apply for funds until the balance owed is paid in full.
- All participants in the LRAP must be current on their law school student education loans. Current means in deferment, forbearance, or making payments.
Participation in Other LRAP Programs
- Applicants to Gonzaga’s LRAP are required to report any assistance they are receiving or expect to receive from other private or governmental loan repayment assistance programs.