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Legal Education for Public Service and Rural Practice Loan Repayment Assistance Board

General Information
  • Formal Name:
    Legal Education for Public Service and Rural Practice Loan Repayment Assistance Board
  • Contact Person:
    Jeffery A. Pickens, Chief Counsel; Rita Wesely, Admin AsstFiscal Officer, 140 No. 8th St., Ste. 270, Lincoln, NE 68508; (402) 471-7774.
  • Purpose:
    To provide educational loan repayment assistance to lawyers employed in non-profit public legal service or in legal profession shortage areas in Nebraska.
  • How Many Affectable:
    Each lawyer served by this Board provided qualifying legal services to an unknown number of Nebraska citizens.
  • How Many Served:
    For fiscal year 14-15, 28 Nebraska attorneys received an award totaling $135,865. For fiscal year 15-16, 57 Nebraska lawyers received an award totaling $144,826. Two attorneys have returned funds due to their inability to honor the three-year commitment o
  • Year Created:
    2008
  • Year Active:
    2008
  • Sunset Date:
    NA
Authorization
  • Authorization Citation:
    Neb. Rev. Stat. Sections 7-201-210; 29-3927.
  • Parent Agency:
    Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy.
Memberships and Meetings
  • Number Of Members:
    7
  • Who Appoints:
    The board consists of the director of Legal Aid of Nebraska, the deans of Creighton School of Law and the University of Nebraska College of Law, a student from each law school selected by the dean of the law school, a member of the Nebraska State Bar Asso
  • Legislative Approval:
    NA
  • Qualifications Of Members:
    The only qualifications of board members are that they be the director of Legal Aid of Nebraska, the deans of Creighton School of Law and the University of Nebraska College of Law, a student from each law school selected by the dean of the law school, a member of the Nebraska State Bar Association selected by the president of the association, and the chief counsel of the Commission on Public Advocacy.
  • Per Diem:
    No.
  • Expense Reimbursement:
    Yes, if they choose.
  • Term Length:
    NA
  • Terms Rotate or Expire At Once:
Meetings Required In:
  • Required FY 13-14:
    1
  • Held FY 13-14:
    1
  • Required FY 14-15:
    1
  • Held FY 14-15:
    3
  • Required FY 15-16:
    1
  • Held FY 15-16:
    1
Operations
  • Support Staff:
    No.
  • Shared or Separate:
    blank
  • FY 13-14 Budget:
    No donations had been received, so no budget was designed from the operations fund of the Commission.
  • FY 14-15 Budget:
    $152,500.
  • FY 15-16 Budget:
    $151,500.
  • Other Funding Sources:
    None.
  • Spending Authority:
    No.
Accomplishments
  • Since July 1, 2012:
    Since LB 907 amended and funded the Legal Education for Public Service and Rural Practice Loan Repayment Assistance Fund in 2014, the Board has met several times to review, edit and approve the application packet for qualifying Nebraska attorneys to seek loan repayment assistance. Notice of the availability of funds was published at both law schools and in newspapers. The Board met to review received applications and make award suggestions to the governing Commission, who then approved and distributed final awards. All award recipients submit quarterly loan status documentation and semi-annual qualifying employment verification to the Commission to assure compliance with program requirements.