Legal Deserts in Rural US Communities Draw Law Schools and Courts Into National Push

Legal leaders from across the United States and Canada gathered in Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 6 and 7 for the 2026 National Rural Access to Justice Convening, where attorney shortages in rural communities topped the agenda. More than 160 participants representing 38 states and Canadian provinces attended the event at the University of Nebraska College of Law, according to the University of North Dakota School of Law, which sent its dean and an assistant professor of law.

The convening was organized by the Law School Admission Council in collaboration with the Association of American Law Schools. It brought together law school leaders, judges, legal aid organizations, bar associations and other stakeholders to examine ways to strengthen the rural legal workforce, support practicing attorneys and widen access to legal services. North Dakota's law school said the discussions reflect a problem that affects family law, estate planning, public defenders and court appointed attorneys.

Counties Without a Single Lawyer

The shortage is measurable in North Dakota. Six of the state's 53 counties have no attorneys at all, and another 14 have just one, according to the law school. The American Bar Association defines a legal desert as a county with fewer than one lawyer for every 1,000 residents. The same measure is used by courts in Michigan, where judges have described a comparable lack of attorneys across rural areas and tribal jurisdictions.

The pipeline looks thin as well. A 2024 survey by the American Bar Association found that 18 percent of North Dakota attorneys intend to retire within the next two to five years, while another 8 percent are considering leaving the profession. The law school said those figures underscore the importance of developing the next generation of attorneys while supporting those already serving rural communities.

Law Schools as Recruiting Channels

In Michigan, the newly named co-chairs of the Michigan Tribal State Federal Judicial Forum have made law school outreach a priority. Judge Carol Montavon Bealor, chief judge of the Cass County Courts, and Judge Hannah Bobee, chief judge of the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Tribal Court, were selected last month for three-year terms. Judge Bobee said the forum has connected with the Michigan State University College of Law and the University of Michigan Law School and aims to contact every law school in the state, encouraging young lawyers to consider family law and rural practice.

The forum is also discussing a high school program to spark early interest in legal careers. Judge Bealor said the forum wants to create meaningful opportunities for students, adding that state and tribal systems rely on the same pool of attorneys and therefore share the same crisis when lawyers are scarce. Both judges described attorneys retiring without replacements as a common pattern across the Upper Peninsula and rural Michigan.

What It Means for Legal Careers

For students and early career lawyers, the shortage points to openings outside major cities. Rural practice, tribal courts, family law and public defense are areas where demand outpaces supply, yet these roles often struggle to attract candidates. Law schools and courts are now treating recruitment as part of the solution, pairing scholarships and mentoring with exposure to rural communities before students settle on a career path. Career counselors working with law students will need current data on where vacancies sit.

The convening did not produce binding commitments, and the next step is for participating institutions to turn discussion into programs. Watch whether law schools add rural placements and whether state bars track attorney counts county by county. For the profession, the measure of progress will be simple. The number of counties with no lawyer at all, and whether the retirements projected over the next few years are matched by new arrivals willing to serve in those places.