Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 5, div. 4, ch. 1, art. 19, app A
| Personal Need (42 pts. Maximum) | |
| Applicant's Annual Cross Salary at time of application (14 pts. Maximum) 1 | |
| Annual salary meets or is below county's living wage | 14 pts |
| Annual salary between 0.01% and 10% higher than county's living wage | 10 pts |
| Annual salary between 10.01% and 20% higher than county's living wage, | 8 pts |
| Annual salary between 20.01% and 30% higher than county's living wage, | 6 pts |
| Annual salary between 30.01% and 40% higher than county's living wage | 4 pts |
| Annual salary 40.01% or higher than county's living wage | 0 pts |
1 The Commission will rank and assign points for Applicant-reported salaries relative to an applicable county's "living wage" for a household with one adult and one child as determined by the 2023 MIT Living Wage Calculator which is incorporated by reference.
| Personal Need, Continued (42 pts. Maximum) | |
| Applicant's Personal Resources, at time of application (14 pts. Maximum) 2 | |
| Asset value below $48,300 | 14 pts |
| Asset value between $48,400 and $99,999 | 10 pts |
| Asset value between $100,000 and $149,999 | 8 pts |
| Asset value between $150,000 and $199,999 | 6 pts |
| Asset value between $200,000 and $249,999 | 4 pts |
| Asset value above $250,000 | 0 pts |
2 The Commission will assign points for Applicant-reported personal resources. Reported personal resources shall include any jointly owned assets of the Applicant and the Applicant's spouse, including the following: (A) The value of all cash and savings held in bank, or other financial institution, checking and savings accounts; (B) The estimated cash value of any investments in real estate or property, other than the Applicant's primary residence, (C) Any business and farm financial assets of the Applicant.
| Personal Need, Continued (42 pts. Maximum) | |
| Applicant's Law School Debt, at time of application (14 pts. Maximum) 3 | |
| Total law school debt over $175,133.85 | 14 pts |
| Total law school debt between $143,161.52 and $175,133.84 | 10 pts |
| Total law school debt between $111,189.18 and $143,161.51 | 8 pts |
| Total law school debt between $79,216.85 and $111,189.17 | 6 pts |
| Total law school debt between $47,244.52 and $79,216.84 | 4 pts |
| Total law school debt below $47,244.51 | 0 pts |
3 The Commission will assign points for Applicant reported law school debt.
| Commitment to Public Interest Area of Law (33 pts. Maximum) | |
| Years of Public Interest Law Employment, at time of application (18 pts. Maximum) | |
| More than 10 years | 18 pts |
| 8-9 | 14 pts |
| 6-7 | 11 pts |
| 4-5 | 8 pts |
| 0.01-3 | 5 pts |
| 0 years | 0 pts |
| Other Employment/Volunteer History (15 pts. Maximum) 4 | |
| Employment in other public service exclusive of Public Interest Law Employment Prior to Law School. | 1 pt per year in public service, as defined by the Federal Government's Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. 34 CFR 685.219. |
| (5 pts. Maximum) | |
| Volunteer Experience | 1 pt per six months (or per academic term, if during law school) of volunteer service in Public Interest Law. |
| This can include experience in experiential learning in law school (law school's clinic or externships in public service, as defined by the PSLF Program), as well as volunteer experience after law school. | |
| (10 pts. Maximum) | |
| Work Experience during law school | 2 pt per six months of employment during law school |
| This can be any paid work experience in any field. | (10 pts. Maximum) |
4 The total number of possible points in this section exceeds the maximum score. Additional points above the maximum score are not included in the total. This section takes into consideration a low-income applicant's need to work during law school, as required by California Education Code Section 69742(a)(2). An applicant may receive points for volunteer or work experience in law school.
| Practicing Law in High Need Areas of the State (20 pts. Maximum) 5 | |
| Currently Practicing Law in High Need Areas of the State (10 pts. Maximum) | |
| Practicing law in county with 1,709 or more residents per attorney: Merced County and Glenn County | 10 pts |
| Practicing law in county with between 1,220 and 1,708 residents per attorney: Modoc County, Kings County, Madera County, Lassen County, Imperial County, Tulare County, Tehama County, San Benito County | 8 pts |
| Practicing law in county with between 731 and 1,219 residents per attorney: Mariposa County, Yuba County, Colusa County, Trinity County, Kern County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, Sutter County, San Bernardino County, Lake County, Tuolumne County, Calaveras County, Solano County, Riverside County | 6 pts |
| Practicing law in county with between 242 and 730 residents per attorney: Siskiyou County, Sierra County, Humboldt County, Butte County, Shasta County, Amador County, Del Norte County, Inyo County, Mendocino County, El Dorado County, Monterey County, Plumas County, Fresno County, San Luis Obispo County, Nevada County, Santa Cruz County, Yolo County, Placer County, Santa Barbara County, Mono County, Sonoma County, Napa County, Alpine County, Ventura County, Contra Costa County | 4 pts |
| Practicing law in county with between 100 and 241 residents per attorney: Alameda County, San Diego County, Santa Clara County, Sacramento County, Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Mateo County, Marin County | 2 pts |
| Practicing law in county with below 99 residents per attorney: San Francisco County | 0 pts |
5 The Commission will assign points for "High Need" based on registered or licensed attorneys within each county relative to overall county resident population. The data is derived from the 2023 "Attorney Demographics" published by the State Bar of California and the 2022 "California Demographics" published by CUBIT for these data sources.
| Practicing Law in High Need Areas of the State, Continued (20 pts. Maximum) 6 | |
| Interest in Practicing Law in High Need Areas of the State (10 pts. Maximum) | |
| Interest in practicing law in county with 1,709 or more residents per attorney: Merced County and Glenn County | 10 pts |
| Interest in practicing law in county with between 1,220 and 1,708 residents per attorney: Modoc County, Kings County, Madera County, Lassen County, Imperial County, Tulare County, Tehama County, San Benito County | 8 pts |
| Interest in practicing law in county with between 731 and 1,219 residents per attorney: Mariposa County, Yuba County, Colusa County, Trinity County, Kern County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, Sutter County, San Bernardino County, Lake County, Tuolumne County, Calaveras County, Solano County, Riverside County | 6 pts |
| Interest in practicing law in county with between 242 and 730 residents per attorney: Siskiyou County, Sierra County, Humboldt County, Butte County, Shasta County, Amador County, Del Norte County, Inyo County, Mendocino County, El Dorado County, Monterey County, Plumas County, Fresno County, San Luis Obispo County, Nevada County, Santa Cruz County, Yolo County, Placer County, Santa Barbara County, Mono County, Sonoma County, Napa County, Alpine County, Ventura County, Contra Costa County | 4 pts |
| Interest in practicing law in county with between 100 and 241 residents per attorney: Alameda County, San Diego County, Santa Clara County, Sacramento County, Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Mateo County, Marin County | 2 pts |
| Interest in practicing law in county with below 99 residents per attorney: San Francisco County | 0 pts |
6 The Commission will assign points for "High Need" based on registered or licensed attorneys within each county relative to overall county resident population. The data is derived from the 2023 "Attorney Demographics" published by the State Bar of California and the 2022 "California Demographics" published by CUBIT for these data sources.
| Academic Achievements (5 pts. Maximum) 7 | |
| Law Review | 1 pt per term |
| Dean's List | 1 pt per term |
| Moot Court or Mock Trial | 1 pt per term |
| Membership in honor society | 1 pt |
| Graduation with distinctions or honors | 1 pt |
| The above examples are not comprehensive of every academic achievement that could have been earned during law school. Other achievements can earn up to one point each, subject to CSAC's discretion. | 1 pt |
7 The Commission will assign points for Applicant-reported academic achievements.
Referenced Data and Information Sources
Federal Student Aid, Public Service Loan Forgiveness. 2023. U.S. Department of Education. https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service
Glasmeier, Amy K. Living Wage Calculator. Living Wage Calculator. 2023. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://livingwage.mit.edu/states/06/locations
State Bar of California. "Attorney Demographics". 2023. Compiled by the State Bar of California https://apps.calbar.ca.gov/members/demographics.aspx
United States Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Web. May 2023. https://www.census.gov/data/datasets/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html
CUBIT. Carney, Kristen and Anthony Morales. "California Demographics". California Population by Counties. Compiled from 2022 Population Estimates Program and 2021 American Community Survey. https://www.california-demographics.com/counties_by_population
Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 5, div. 4, ch. 1, art. 19, app A