The purpose of the Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) is to strengthen and expand legal assistance for the poor by supporting the recruitment and retention of the most qualified civil legal aid staff attorneys who are employed by legal assistance organizations that receive grant funding from FFLA for the provision of civil legal aid. Staff attorneys participating in LRAP must use the funds to pay down their student loan debt.
Staff attorneys employed by government agencies, nonprofits, and other types of public service organizations (Public Defenders, State Attorneys, Department of Children and Families, Guardian ad Litem, Office of Regional Conflict Counsel, Catholic Charities, etc.) may wish to research the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program for more information on student loan assistance.
Grant Details
FFLA’s LRAP currently provides benefits of $10,000 per calendar year per person in the form of a loan. FFLA forgives the loan annually if loan recipient is still eligible and request for forgiveness has been received in December.
Loan applications are available each October. Loan decisions are announced by January 1. The loan period is January 1 – December 31, and includes a required mid-year certification of continued eligibility. Loan forgiveness decisions (if requested in December) are made by the following April 1.
Eligible Participant is defined as:
I. A lawyer employed by either a current FFLA funded civil legal aid organization, a civil legal aid organization which has received funding in at least one of the preceding five years, or other civil legal aid organization vetted and approved from time to time by the Board, on at least a 50% FTE (full-time equivalent) basis; and
II. A lawyer on staff who spends more than half of their time providing legal services and legal assistance to clients on behalf of the organization.
Please read the LRAP Program Description for additional requirements.
This grant is funded by IOTA funds collected pursuant to Rule 5.1-1(g), rules regulating The Florida Bar.
History of LRAP Funding
| Year | Details | Amount Forgiven |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Program initiated. Participants eligible for forgiveness in 4th year. | $0 |
| 1993 | $0 | |
| 1994 | $0 | |
| 1995 | $0 | |
| 1996 | Initial year of forgiveness. | $7,204 |
| 1997 | $23,675 | |
| 1998 | $18,964 | |
| 1999 | $19,422 | |
| 2000 | $8,304 | |
| 2001 | No loan forgiveness. | $0 |
| 2002 | No loan forgiveness. | $0 |
| 2003 | No loan forgiveness. | $0 |
| 2004 | $162,260 | |
| 2005 | $210,697 | |
| 2006 | $211,957 | |
| 2007 | $228,097 | |
| 2008 | $357,441 | |
| 2009 | $748,101 | |
| 2010 | $875,591 | |
| 2011 | $1,053,989 | |
| 2012 | $990,824 | |
| 2013 | $694,993 | |
| 2014 | $620,025 | |
| 2015 | $558,257 | |
| 2016 | $810,205 | |
| 2017 | $806,300 | |
| 2018 | $862,289 | |
| 2019 | $818,202 | |
| 2020 | $1,043,502 | |
| 2021 | $1,018,354 | |
| 2022 | $776,970 | |
| 2023 | $616,292 | |
| 2024 | $625,142 | |
| TOTAL | $14,167,057 |
