Lisa M. Geis is a supervising attorney for DC Law Students in Court, a civil legal aid organization that not only gives future generations of attorneys valuable courtroom experience, but also provides legal representation in landlord and tenant issues to low-income DC residents. Ms. Geis is among the recipients of DCBF’s 2016 loan repayment assistance program (LRAP), which will provide more than $384,000 in assistance to civil legal aid lawyers throughout the District over the next 12 months.
Lisa graduated from The Catholic University of America with a degree in theater before returning to school at the age of 42 to pursue a career in law. She received her JD from Rutgers School of Law – Camden, and her LLM from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law.
One of the reasons Lisa chose to practice in DC was because of the “collaborative legal system the District has built.” Lisa explained, however, that because of law school loans and the high cost of living in the District, she would have been unable to continue her work in public interest with low-income DC residents without DCBF’s help. “Without LRAP I would have had to sacrifice what is important to me, and I also wouldn’t be able to live in the District,” said Geis. “It sends the message that what I do is important to the city and to the people who live in the District. It is an honor.”
To qualify for LRAP, attorneys must work for eligible DC civil legal aid organizations that serve low-income, underserved residents of the District. For more information, visit www.dcbarfoundation.org.