The paper reviews and critiques the 13 existing (1987) law school assistance programs and proposes a national repayment-assistance debt-forgiveness program which would involve an income-contingent repayment "tax" coupled with an assurance to creditors of repayment by means of a "guarantee" or "insurance" fund. (DB)

The trend in rising tuitions at law schools is documented as is the increasing reliance of students on loans to finance their legal education. Among concerns raised are that the need to "hustle" to make ends meet will present problems in maintaining standards of professionalism. (DB)

The examination of current and future trends in educational debts incurred by law students concludes that economics will force increasing numbers of law school graduates to emphasize wealth maximization at the expense of public service with resultant decreases in access to legal services for low- and middle-class clients. (DB)

The paper stresses that large debts, when coupled with discriminatory employment patterns and the self-selection of minorities into public service work, may discourage prospective minority law students. Government subsidies to groups likely to include significant numbers of minority attorneys are recommended. (DB)