A coalition of legal organizations and regional law schools launched a pilot program Tuesday intended to rebuild a shrinking pipeline of attorneys in Ohio’s small towns and rural counties.
Shortage leaves many without counsel
According to the Ohio State Bar Association, 78 of Ohio’s 88 counties do not have enough attorneys to meet the legal needs of residents. The shortage is particularly acute in northwest Ohio, where many practicing lawyers are nearing retirement and fewer new lawyers are choosing to set up practice outside metropolitan areas.
“It opens the eyes of newly graduated law students to the possibilities of life in a rural community or in a small town,” said Wood County Common Pleas Judge Matt Reger, one of several local officials backing the effort.
“First, you start out with maybe a perception that the rural practice is not going to give me the lucrative or the well-paying job that I'm really hoping for,” Reger said. “I go to law school, I incur a lot of debt. How can going to a small town or a rural area pay off that debt?”
What the program will do
The initiative — called “Lawyers = Justice” — is a partnership among the Ohio State Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Foundation, Ohio Northern University and the University of Toledo. It aims to encourage newly licensed attorneys to launch practices in underserved communities by providing startup support.
Program components announced so far include:
- Seed money and a stipend to help four newly licensed attorneys establish a practice in the region.
- Provision of office space for the fellows to reduce initial overhead.
- An expectation that participants will perform some pro bono work and work toward expanding services in their communities.
Organizers describe the model as similar to a business incubator for legal practices, offering financial help and infrastructure in exchange for a commitment to serve local residents who otherwise face limited access to counsel.
Local courts feel the effects
Reger described practical consequences of the shortage in his courtroom: many people appear without legal representation for matters such as marriage dissolution. He said the problem is not just one of courtroom representation but of broader access to legal advice and services.
“It's advice, it’s access to the courts, it’s a whole plethora of things that attorneys bring that is absent in the rural areas,” Reger said.
Bar leaders target root causes
Organizers cited debt and economic concerns as deterrents for graduates considering rural or small-town practice. Law school debt, in particular, can push new attorneys toward urban markets perceived as offering higher-paying opportunities.
The new program attempts to address the financial calculus directly by reducing startup costs and offering an early-career stipend, with the goal of making a rural practice more viable during the crucial first years.
| Statistic | Figure |
|---|---|
| Counties lacking enough attorneys | 78 of 88 |
| Number of initial fellows to be supported | 4 |
Partners and prospects
The involvement of regional law schools — Ohio Northern University and the University of Toledo — signals an effort to align legal education with community needs. The Ohio State Bar Association and Ohio State Bar Foundation will provide organizational support and resources.
Officials said the pilot is meant to be the first step in a broader strategy: if the incubator model succeeds in attracting and retaining attorneys in underserved counties, organizers expect to replicate or expand the program.
What residents should know
For residents in affected counties, the effort could mean more local access to counsel for civil matters, family law, probate, landlord-tenant disputes and other common legal needs. For new law graduates worried about debt or the viability of a rural practice, the program offers an alternative path that combines financial support with a public-service expectation.
Organizers have not yet released an exact timeline for selecting fellows or the application process. They say more details will be available as the pilot moves from planning into implementation.
The pilot targets northwest Ohio but, if successful, could inform similar efforts statewide as lawmakers, bar groups and educators wrestle with how best to ensure equal access to the legal system across urban and rural communities.
Damon Carver is the state correspondent for WE NEWS covering Ohio public policy and legal affairs.
