101: Preparing for a Career in Public Interest Law (with Ashley Matthews of Equal Justice Works)

Welcome back! Today, we're talking with Ashley Matthews, Program Manager for Law School Engagement and Advocacy at Equal Justice Works, about preparing for a career in public interest work. Public interest is a competitive field to break into, and it comes with its own unique set of challenges. If you've decided you want to pursue a career in public interest law, this episode is a must-listen!

In this episode, we discuss:

• The challenges facing people who seek a career in public interest law
• Options for managing student loan debt for people in public interest careers
• Competitiveness in the public interest field
• What public interest employers are looking for
• Programs offered by Equal Justice Works for law students, recent grads, and more experienced lawyers
• The current controversy over validity of student loan forgiveness program approval letters
• The future of loan forgiveness and assistance programs
• Which law schools have LRAPs, and how to start one at your law school

Resources:

• Podcast Episode 38: Can You Really Afford Law School? (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-38-can-you-really-afford-law-school/)
• Equal Justice Works Fellowships (http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/post-grad/equal-justice-works-fellowships)
• Equal Justice Works Rural Summer Legal Corps Program (https://rurallegalcorps.org/)
• Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps JD (http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/law-school/americorpsjd)
• Podcast Episode 92: Top 1L Questions: The Money Edition (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-92-top-1l-questions-money-edition/)
• Podcast Episode 96: How to Rapidly Pay Off Law School Debt (with Guest Financial Panther) (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-96-how-to-rapidly-pay-off-law-school-debt-with-guest-financial-panther/)
• Equal Justice Works Free Student Debt Webinars (http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/webinars)
• Cowley, Stacy. "Student Loan Forgiveness Program Approval Letters May Be Invalid, Education Dept. Says." N.Y. Times, Mar. 30, 2017. (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/business/student-loan-forgiveness-program-lawsuit.html)
• John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program (http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/resources/student-debt-relief/John-R-Justice-Student-Loan-Repayment-Program)
• Law School LRAPs (http://equaljusticeworks.org/schoollraps)
• How to Get to Know Your Professors in Law School (http://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/05/how-to-get-to-know-your-professors-in-law-school/)
• Equal Justice Works 2017 Conference and Career Fair (http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/law-school/conference-and-careerfair)
• Equal Justice Works on Twitter (https://twitter.com/ejw_students)

Episode Transcript: Download the Transcript (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Episode-101-Preparing-for-a-career-in-public-interest-with-EJW.pdf)

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Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee