A committee established two years ago to address unmet legal needs in rural Kansas has presented its findings and recommendations to the Kansas Supreme Court.
The Kansas Rural Justice Initiative Committee studied the decline in attorneys residing and practicing in rural areas and its impact on residents requiring legal services.
The report outlines 10 recommendations aimed at attracting new attorneys to rural Kansas and inspiring K-12 students in these areas to consider careers in law.
“The report brings to us some concrete steps that we can take that will allow us to make reforms in educational, economic, and professional ways to help in overcoming the barriers that we see in recruiting and retaining attorneys throughout rural Kansas,” said Chief Justice Marla Luckert.
Rural Kansas is experiencing a legal crisis, with 99 counties having two or fewer attorneys per 1,000 residents, far below the national average of 3.9. Two counties lack attorneys entirely, and, excluding those over age 60, 87 counties have one or fewer attorneys, with nine having none.
While 79% of attorneys are concentrated in five urban counties that house nearly half the state’s population, only 1,400 attorneys serve 1.3 million rural residents across 100 counties. Justice K.J. Wall emphasizes the problem is even more severe than the data suggests.
“So the problem is serious, and it’s not going to get better without intervention and affirmative action,” said Wall.
Due to the shortage, many individuals must represent themselves, with judges and staff providing procedural guidance while avoiding legal advice. For those who can afford legal help, hiring an attorney outside their community increases costs. To address this, Justice K.J. Wall advocates coordinated efforts to attract attorneys to rural areas. The committee recommends tuition-reimbursement incentives for law students who practice in rural Kansas and a student loan repayment program for rural attorneys. These strategies, based on surveys, listening sessions, and national research, aim to reverse the trend of declining rural legal representation.
