Working Collaboratively to Increase Rural Access to Justice
The core of ¾«¶«Ó°Òµâ€™s mission is to advance law and justice through promoting access to legal education. This commitment extends to all individuals and communities including those in rural and remote areas.
In the last decade, the legal education ecosystem has increased efforts to address the unique access to justice challenges in rural areas. A number of law schools have launched or expanded initiatives to recruit students from rural areas, prepare students to address the legal needs of rural residents, and support graduates as they transition into rural legal practice. But there is still much more to be done, and it cannot be done by any one part of the legal ecosystem alone.
¾«¶«Ó°Òµ is working together with the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), the University of Nebraska College of Law, and key stakeholders in the legal community, including chief justices, law schools, tribal courts, state and local bar associations, and national and community organizations, to tackle today’s challenges facing rural access to justice.
2026 National Rural Access to Justice Convening
¾«¶«Ó°Òµ — in collaboration with AALS, the University of Nebraska College of Law, and other organizations — is organizing a strategic convening on November 6 and 7, hosted by the University of Nebraska College of Law.
The Rural Access to Justice Convening will bring together law schools, chief justices of state and tribal courts, and key partners in the legal community from across the United States to collaboratively develop practical, actionable steps to address the most urgent access‑to‑justice challenges facing rural communities. The aim is to focus on concrete solutions and partnerships ready for near‑term implementation, while planning for long-term investment in developing solutions to these issues.
When: November 6 and 7, 2026
Where: University of Nebraska College of Law, Lincoln, Nebraska
Who: Law Schools, State and Tribal Courts, and Key Stakeholders, by invitation
Opening the Door: Rural Pathways to Law School
Wednesday, August 19 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET
For many individuals in rural communities, the path to legal professions can be difficult to navigate due to a number of factors including limited exposure, resources, and support networks. This webinar explores strategies for expanding awareness of legal careers, strengthening academic preparation, and building effective pathways that connect individuals from rural areas to law school and the legal profession.
Moderator: Sudha Setty, President & CEO, ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ
Speakers:
- Elizabeth Bodamer, senior director of research, ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ
- Kristen Talbert, assistant director, Indian Legal Program, ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
- Wendy Rohleder-Sook, chair, Department of Communication Studies, Law, & Political Science, Fort Hays State University; assistant professor of Political Science and director of Pre-Law/Legal Studies
- Anthony Schutz, associate dean for faculty & Marvin and Virginia Schmid Foundation Professor of Agricultural Law, University of Nebraska College of Law
Survey of Existing Law School Initiatives
To help inform and accelerate this collaborative effort, ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ has launched the first-ever comprehensive research effort on law school initiatives to address access to justice needs in rural areas. The survey is designed to collect information about initiatives that law schools are involved in that encourage, prepare, or support students interested in rural legal practice or who come from rural areas.
The result of this survey will be a comprehensive inventory of law school initiatives including how schools are training the next generation of lawyers in rural areas and improving legal services for rural populations through legal education.
Why It Matters
Research consistently shows that rural communities across the United States and Canada face some of the greatest challenges in securing legal representation and access to justice in the nation.
- 94% of civil legal issues of low-income rural households go unresolved each year
- More than half of all rural counties in America are considered "legal deserts," with few or no lawyers available to serve residents
- The percentage of households living below the national poverty level is 30% higher among rural communities than the national average, making it harder for rural households to afford legal representation
- Rural residents often have to travel long distances to towns or cities, making legal services less available and more expensive to access
- Rural communities typically have lower broadband coverage, making virtual legal services less accessible
Rural Access to Justice Work Group
¾«¶«Ó°Òµâ€™s work on rural access to justice is supported by the ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ Rural Access to Justice Work Group, composed of leaders, faculty, and staff from law schools. The work group, chaired by Dean Rebecca Zietlow of the University of Toledo College of Law and including faculty and administrators from law schools across the United States and Canada, examines challenges and opportunities affecting access to justice in rural communities, with a focus on how ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ programs and services can help strengthen the pathway for individuals interested in pursuing a rural legal practice.