Congressman Burchett introduces the Legal Aid for Americans Act of 2022

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 28, 2022) – Today, U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (TN-02) introduced the Legal Aid for Americans Act to improve access to legal aid in low-income communities. 

More than 95% of law students take out student loans, and many of these loans are provided by the federal government, which is funded by all taxpayers. Unfortunately, even though members of the public contribute to a significant portion of these lawyers’ education, high-quality legal representation remains unaffordable for most Americans. The Legal Services Corporation estimates low-income Americans received inadequate or no legal help on nearly 92% of reported civil legal problems. 

“Many lawyers rely on taxpayer-funded student loan programs to pay for law school, then go on to make millions of dollars throughout their careers,” said Rep. Burchett. “It makes sense to require these lawyers to give back to the communities whose support made their dreams a reality, especially when their legal services can really help folks in need.”    

The Legal Aid for Americans Act would establish a pro bono service requirement for lawyers who received federal student loans to pay for law school. They must complete 50 hours of pro bono work annually for the first three years after passing the bar exam. 

You can read the full text of the bill by clicking here.