Duke University School of Law has received a $10 million challenge grant from the Duke Endowment in support of scholarships, public-interest fellowships, and loan-repayment assistance.

The award will be used to create financial aid opportunities at the law school and help remove economic barriers for students to study law and launch their careers. In addition, the grant will support summer and post-graduate fellowships covering salary, benefits, and stipends for public interest work—a field where internships are often unpaid and entry-level salaries are typically much lower than in the private sector.

“Duke Law is deeply committed to meeting the financial needs of our students, who come from diverse social and economic backgrounds, as well as helping to meet the great need for public interest lawyers,” said law school dean Kerry Abrams. “This grant from the Duke Endowment will catalyze investment in legal training that will help students prepare to address pressing needs.”

(Photo credit: Wikimedia/Krazos)