Texas Tech University School of Law

Student Public Interest Initiative

About Us

Phone: 806-742-3787 ext. 239

E-mail: SPII.law@ttu.edu

 

Why SPII was Created… In recent years, the state of Texas has experienced unprecedented economic growth.  Alongside this prosperity, however, is growing inequality.  Thousands of people in Texas do not have access to legal assistance due to economic hardship or a lack of public interest attorneys.  Although there are many organizations that work on behalf of disempowered and underrepresented groups of people, most of these organizations are under-funded.  They do not have the money to pay for summer law clerks and are unable to pay lawyers salaries that are competitive with private sector employment. 

 

While there is a significant need for public interest attorneys, it is difficult for students to develop a public interest career.  The cost of law school has more than doubled since 1988.  With the average law student’s debt up to $80,000, public interest careers that address inequality are not viable options.  Law students are funneled into careers that are far removed from public interest work.

 

 

The Solution…  SPII is made up of law students at Texas Tech who are concerned about both growing inequality throughout Texas and the near impossibility of addressing this inequality because of the student loan debt in which so many law students find themselves.  SPII seeks to facilitate the entry of law students into public interest careers by:

(1) funding student summer projects and employment in organizations that work on behalf of disempowered and underrepresented groups of people; and

(2) establishing a loan-forgiveness program at Texas Tech School of Law for law students that pursue public interest careers after graduation. 

SPII is a “sub-foundation” of the Texas Tech University School of Law Foundation. 

 

To contact us: