Stanford Law School is stepping up to ease the financial burden on students pursuing public service careers. The school is supporting a group of ten students through an innovative educational finance program known as the Flywheel Fellowships. This initiative is part of a non-profit pilot project that aims to alleviate the impact of law school debt and encourage graduates to pursue service-oriented jobs, per the Stanford Law School press.

The Flywheel Fund for Career Choice, developed by alumni from Stanford and Harvard Law Schools, has been working in collaboration with Stanford since 2022. Initially supporting the first two cohorts, the Flywheel Fund now has thirty students from classes '24 through '26 under its wing, as announced by Stanford Law School. Notably, Stanford has a history of pioneering innovations in law school financial aid, introducing the loan repayment assistance program back in 1985.

Robert Weisberg, Stanford's interim dean and Edwin E. Huddleson, Jr., Professor of Law, emphasized the law school's commitment to making legal education financially accessible and supporting students' public-interest aspirations. The Flywheel Fund, in collaboration with entities like Stride Funding, is also exploring opportunities to extend its support to other law and professional schools, aiming to share its resources more broadly.

Frank Brucato, the CFO of Stanford Law, highlighted the school's dedication to reducing student debt and enhancing flexibility in repayment options. Stanford Law School has a track record of producing graduates with lower debt compared to other elite law schools. The Flywheel Fellowships provide upfront funding for tuition and expenses, amounting to $170,000 per student, with repayment terms tailored to the graduate's future earnings.

Elliot Schrage, chair of the Flywheel Fund, expressed the project's mission to empower graduates for mission-oriented careers. Beyond Stanford, the fund seeks partnerships with other top law schools to diversify public service missions.