[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7224-7225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-3040]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION


Funding Availability for Law School Civil Clinical Programs

AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation.

ACTION: Announcement of Requests for Proposals.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (LSC or Corporation) is 
accepting applications for its twelfth consecutive Law School Civil 
Clinical Program (LSCCP) grant competition. For academic year 1995-96, 
Congress has appropriated $1.435 million for law school clinics. The 
purpose of this grant competition is to expand relationships between 
legal services programs and law schools in meeting the challenges of 
equal access to justice.
    All grants will be awarded pursuant to the authority conferred on 
LSC by Sections 1006(a)(1)(B) and 1006(a)(3) of the Legal Services 
Corporation Act of 1974, as amended (LSC Act). Grant funds for the 
1995-96 LSCCP will be distributed on a one-time, non-recurring basis. 
Grant awards will be made in amounts of up to $100,000; however, LSC 
may consider larger grants under exceptional circumstances. Grant terms 
will be for a period of one year and grant activities must commence by 
September 30, 1995.

DATES: Grant proposals must be received by the Office of Program 
Services by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on March 10, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Law School Civil Clinical Program, Office of Program 
Services, Attention: Janice P. White, Legal Services Corporation, 750 
First Street, NE, 11th Floor, Washington, DC 20002-4250.

FOR APPLICATIONS OR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janice P. White, 
Office of Program Services, (202) 336-8924.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since 1984, the Corporation has conducted a 
law school clinical grant competition. LSC believes that new and 
innovative collaborative approaches must be developed to meet the 
challenges of equal access to justice in the 1990's.
    The broad goals of the 1995-96 LSCCP are to:
    1. Increase collaboration between law schools and legal services 
programs;
    2. Encourage law schools to become more involved in addressing the 
legal problems of the poor;
    3. Develop among law students an awareness of legal issues 
affecting low-income people and appropriate advocacy skills to address 
those issues;
    4. Encourage law students to pursue careers in legal services and 
other public interest areas; and
    5. Assist legal services programs, through summer fellowships, in 
identifying potential legal services attorneys.
    The 1995-96 LSCCP will be administered under two categories: (1) 
Legal Services Summer Fellowships; and (2) Innovative Clinical 
Programs.
    Under the Legal Services Summer Fellowships category, law students 
will be placed in a legal services program for a summer with 
appropriate training and supervision, while also receiving academic 
credit or fulfilling law school pro bono requirements. Special 
consideration will be given to rural programs; programs serving an 
underserved or special population; programs with a low number of 
minority staff attorneys; programs that have an existing collaborative 
effort with a local law school clinic; and programs that will develop a 
collaborative relationship with local law school clinics, in 
furtherance of the grant application. [[Page 7225]] 
    LSC recognizes that many ideas could improve the law school's 
relationship with the legal services community, but may not fit in the 
above category. Thus, under the Innovative Clinical Programs Category, 
the Corporation encourages new and innovative approaches to legal 
services delivery that are not currently being provided by law school 
clinics or legal services programs. These innovative projects must show 
a close collaboration between the law school clinic and the legal 
services program. Such programs could be on either a local, state or 
national level. In addition, under this category, LSC is soliciting 
applications from law schools with an established mandatory pro bono 
program or seeking a substantial expansion of its voluntary pro bono 
program.
    Eligibility: (1) All law schools and consortia of law schools that 
are currently accredited by the American Bar Association or accredited 
for purposes of bar admission by the state bar associations of the 
states in which the law schools are located are eligible to apply; (2) 
any LSC-funded legal services program is eligible to apply; and (3) any 
501(c)(3) organization with the capability to oversee a summer 
fellowship program is eligible to apply.
    No 1995-96 LSCCP grant funds, in any category, may be used to fund 
conferences or research projects. This limitation does not restrict 
funds being used for research related to representation or advocacy on 
behalf of eligible clients. The application should demonstrate that 
existing law school or legal services program support for law school 
clinical efforts will be continued, and that any LSC funds granted will 
be used solely for new or expanded operations.

Awards Process

    Grant proposals will be carefully evaluated by an advisory panel of 
peer reviewers from the law school community, the legal services 
community, the client community and LSC staff. Awards will be based on 
the merit of the proposal and the extent to which it meets the goals of 
the LSCCP. An applicant may submit a grant proposal for one category 
only.

1. Proposed Collaboration

    The applicant should detail the proposed working relationship 
between the law school clinic and the legal services program that will 
be involved in the project. If such collaboration is not an aspect of 
the proposal, the applicant should detail the efforts that were made to 
secure such collaboration and why they were unsuccessful.

2. Project Goals and Objectives

    The applicant should set forth the project's goals and objectives, 
which will be reviewed in terms of the quality of the proposed project, 
evidence of the client need to be served, and the long-term benefits to 
the organization and the legal services community.

3. Applicant's Capability to Accomplish Objectives

    The applicant should detail its structure and staffing, past 
history with similar activities, and other work on behalf of the low-
income individuals. Qualifications and experience of project 
participants and staff should be disclosed. A timetable for 
implementation of the project should also be included.

4. Community Involvement and Support

    The applicant should state how the proposed activity will 
complement existing legal services delivery provided in its area. The 
extent to which a cooperative effort exists among law schools, legal 
services programs, community groups, local courts, and bar associations 
should be described. Current letters of support or other evidence of 
support may be included with the proposal.

5. Project Feasibility

    The applicant should address the reasonableness of the proposed 
costs in terms of the benefits to be derived and the relationship to 
the project's overall goals.

    Dated: February 2, 1995.
Leslie Q. Russell,
Assistant to the Director, Office of Program Services.
[FR Doc. 95-3040 Filed 2-6-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7050-01-P