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Loan Repayment Assistance Program tells committee small state investment supports legal aid recruitment
Summary
LRAP told the committee that a $1,100 per-attorney state investment helps retain public-interest lawyers, enabling legal aid organizations to serve more low-income Minnesotans.
Dee Baskin, executive director of the Loan Repayment Assistance Program of Minnesota (LRAP), presented the nonprofit’s work to the committee. LRAP provides funds to reduce student loan burdens for public-interest lawyers who represent low-income clients in Minnesota.
Baskin said the program receives a state investment of $1,100 per attorney and that support helps each participating attorney serve roughly 200 low-income Minnesotans annually with legal services related to housing, family, disability and other civil legal needs. She described one success story—attorney Daniel Morris of Central Minnesota Legal Services—whose participation in LRAP helped him stabilize personal finances and remain in regional legal-aid practice.
Why it matters: committee members praised LRAP’s cost-effectiveness and its role in recruiting and retaining legal-aid attorneys. Representative Cleburne noted the high return on investment given the low per-attorney amount and the wide caseload served.
Next steps: LRAP thanked the committee for continued support; no bill or amendment was considered at this meeting for LRAP.
