By Michael Goldenkranz
We live in an era of billionaire activists—one-man political parties—who’ve found that they can push past our plodding political process by opening their checkbooks to get initiatives on the ballot, or bankrolling a Supreme Court justice, or even setting up a lottery to reward voter registration. As the late Senator Everett McKinley Dirksen purportedly said: “A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money.”
But I’d like to challenge them to answer a higher calling. Provide free tuition for Washington state law students who will commit to helping those without access to justice or practice in remote locations where legal help, like Sasquatch, is most difficult to find. It’s been piloted in at least two medical schools!
Listening to the Barenaked Ladies “If I had a million dollars “I read with excitement about Bloomberg Philanthropies gifting $1 billion to Johns Hopkins medical school, and Ruth Gottesman endowing an upstate New York for the same purpose. Having been extensively involved as a volunteer attorney, in the provision of legal pro bono services for 20 years, both in the trenches and on Bar committees, I can envision the good that could come if Washington State billionaire and millionaire activists piloted free Law Schools (or even loan forgiveness) to serve the underserved who desperately need civil legal aid to provide housing, deal with debts, access benefits, create family stability, prevent harm, and get proper education and health care.
There remains a significant and persistent Justice Gap in Washington, where low-income Washingtonians continue to face their problems without necessary legal help, no matter how serious or complex the problem may be and regardless of the potential short- or long-term consequences. A prior civil legal needs study found that 85% of low-income people in the state faced their legal problems without help from an attorney. Many people didn’t understand that the issue they faced—be it financial or family or something else—had a legal solution. Others simply did not know where to find help
If we can incentivize law students, to practice in remote, lack of access areas, to serve in legal deserts and help those who fall in between the cracks, it may help to provide more stable families, more productive work forces with more eligible employees, secure housing and citizenship.
In return for these free tuition loan forgiveness law students commit to serve the underserved for 5 years. Not dissimilar to the GI plans that paid for our service members to go obtain higher education. Not dissimilar to and a vast expansion of the very limited Gates Grants UW law provides.
We truly need to find benefactors to help reshape incentives so more law students after graduating are able to practice in underserved areas and in civil legal aid organizations either through tuition free or loan forgiveness programs with strings attached. Why? It helps to create healthier and more successful communities.
Michael Goldenkranz (is retired and has been providing pro bono services in the trenches and previously on committees for 20 years. He was the 2023 recipient of both the Washington State Bar and King County Bar Pro Bono and Public Service Awards).
