WV Fund for Law in the Public Interest
The West Virginia Fund for Law in Public Interest is a non-profit organization that works to fund fellowships for WVU College of Law students to spend the summer working in public interest organizations throughout West Virginia. Founded in 1987, the fund seeks to help students gain a deeper understanding of the grave importance of public interest work. These students provide legal services to help West Virginians, including the elderly, the poor, children, and victims of domestic violence.
The Fund for the Public Interest consists of the board directors: one faculty member; two attorneys working for the Public Interest; and six students, three second years and three third year students. The Fund meets monthly to discuss future programs and current initiatives.
Public Interest Advocates (PIA)
The PIA is a student organization at the WVU College of Law that works closely with the Fund for the Public Interest to help facilitate the candidate selection process. This organization supports the fund by conducting fund raising activities throughout the year, including a football raffle, online textbook sales, and the annual Spring Auction.
Fellowships
The Fund awards PIA fellowships annually to West Virginia College of Law students through a competitive selection process. Since it’s inception, over 300 students have received fellowships at public interest organizations. These include Legal Aid of West Virginia, Senior Legal Aid of West Virginia, Mountain State Justice, the Public Defender’s Office, The Appalachian Center on the Economy and the Environment, West Virginia Advocates, West Virginia Highlands Conservency, and ChildLaw Services, Inc.
The Sprouse Public Defender Fellowship is particularly competitive and students apply in the Fall to be awarded this opportunity. The selected candidate then chooses the county in which he or she will work with the public defender.
Loan Repayment Assistance Program
Law school graduates are faced with rising education debt. Even the most dedicated are unable to take lower-paying public interest jobs. Recognizing the importance of law student debt relief, the Fund started a Loan Repayment Assistance Program to ensure that WVU College of Law graduates will be financially able to pursue careers in public interest. The program covers the educational debt payments of bright, energetic, talented, WVU College of Law graduates who enter public interest employment in West Virginia.