Legal Deserts (Part 2)
Restricted Access to Justice
Rural America is facing a shortage of lawyers. In over 50 counties in the U.S., there are no lawyers serving residents, requiring clients to travel hours across counties to find a lawyer who can represent them. Without access to a competent lawyer, they face potentially dire consequences in employment, housing, health, and criminal matters. In part 2 of this 2-part series, Professor Lisa Pruitt explores programs and policies to address the rural lawyer shortage and improve access to justice. She explains novel programs some states and law schools have implemented, including incubators, recruitment projects, and succession planning. She also discusses the role of law schools in promoting rural practice and of attorneys in addressing the justice gap by providing pro bono and reduced-fee services.
Watch Part 1 of Legal Deserts.
