District Attorney Loan Forgiveness awards are being offered to retain experienced attorneys employed in district attorney offices throughout New York State.

Eligibility

An applicant must:
      • Be a legal resident of New York State for at least one year
      • Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
      • Be an eligible attorney (1)
      • Have eligible student loan expenses (2)
      • Not be in default of a federally guaranteed student loan
      • Must not owe a service obligation under another program
      • Have been employed as a district attorney or assistant district attorney by a district attorney's office in New York State for at least four years
      • Be a district attorney or assistant district attorney who is employed full time and has been employed full time during the year of qualified service immediately preceding their application

(1) Eligible attorney means an attorney who:
      • Is admitted to practice law in New York State
      • Has been employed by a district attorney's office in New York State for at least four years*
      • Is a district attorney or assistant district attorney who is employed full time and has been employed full time during the year of qualified service** immediately preceding their application

      *Note: Credit may be given for periods of time during which a district attorney was a law school graduate who, while awaiting admission to the New York State Bar, was employed by a prosecuting or criminal defense agency.

      **Year of qualified service - means the fourth through ninth years (365 days each) of full-time employment by a district attorney's office as a district attorney or assistant attorney in New York State.

(2) Eligible student loan expenses means the total cumulative loan balance, at the time of application, required to be paid by the eligible attorney for student loans covering the cost of attendance at an undergraduate institution(s) and/or law school(s). Eligible student loan(s) include New York State or federal governmental loans, or loans made by commercial entities subject to governmental examination. This does not include PLUS loans, or loans which may be canceled under any other program including Perkins loans, or private non-commercial loans given, for example, by family or friends, or student loan debts paid with a credit card. The attorney must not be in default on any federally guaranteed student loans.

How to Apply

Complete and submit the New York State District Attorney Loan Forgiveness Web Supplement. Be sure to print the Web Supplement confirmation, sign the supplement and submit it along with the required documentation according to the instructions.

Payment applications will also be sent in August 2008 to the address of record for current award holders.

Note: If there are more applicants than available funding, awardees will be selected by random lottery.

Application Deadline

District Attorney Loan Forgiveness Program Supplements and Payment Applications must have been submitted on or before October 1, 2008 to be considered.

Duration

Disbursements under this program are available for up to six years of qualified service (based on available funding).

Award Amounts

The maximum lifetime total award an eligible attorney may receive under this program is $20,400 or the cumulative total of their eligible student loan expenses at the time of their first successful application, whichever is less.

Eligible student loan expenses will be reduced by any grants, loan forgiveness, or similar reductions to the attorney’s indebtedness that the attorney has received or shall receive, including, but not limited to, law school loan forgiveness and public service scholarships.

Award Payment

Awards will be paid in disbursements of $3,400 for each year of qualified service immediately preceding the application for payment.

The District Attorney Loan Forgiveness Program Supplement will be used to establish a district attorney’s or assistant district attorney’s eligibility as well as process a recipient’s first award disbursement. In subsequent years, an award recipient must submit a payment application and verification of the preceding year of qualified service for which they seek an award disbursement. Payment applications will be mailed by HESC each year to the recipient's address of record.