Oct. 17, 2018 – Fall colors gleam in early October in western Wisconsin, even on cloudy, rainy days. Through the rain, the Greater Wisconsin Initiative tour bus traveled roads that weave between bluffs and into valleys where cell phone reception is as intermittent as the leaves on the trees.

It is the first weekend in October, and it is the State Bar of Wisconsin’s third Greater Wisconsin Initiative Bus Tour – the program that takes lawyers and law students seeking jobs and opportunities to the places in Wisconsin where lawyers are becoming a rare commodity.

On the tour are lawyers and soon-to-be lawyers, each with different paths to becoming a lawyer – but each seeking the connections that lead to opportunity.

At each stop, they meet local residents who say that they are needed in their communities.

A Comfortable Living

Judge Craig Day, before joining the bench, practiced privately in a small firm and as a solo in general practice in Grant County. This experience, he said, was very rewarding.

“I liked the variety, and that it involved a lot of contact with people in my community,” said Judge Day of Grant County Circuit Court in Lancaster.

Plus, there are the benefits of working in a smaller community. “You know who your neighbors are, and there is always something to get involved with,” Judge Day said.

You can make a living in a rural practice, he said, through hard work and by being visible in the community – and by doing a good job as a lawyer. “You can build yourself a good reputation through hard work and make a comfortable living,” Judge Day said. “There are a lot of opportunities right now.”

Plus, there are other questions. “People ask what we do in our free time,” Judge Day said.

Grant County, where Judge Day resides, is in the southwest corner of Wisconsin and has a population of just over 52,000 people. It is an area of agriculture, winding roads, hills, bluffs, vistas, and waterways that include spring-fed streams, small rivers, and the Mississippi River. The county’s website boasts opportunities for golf, fishing and ice fishing, hunting, and snowmobiling – with 214 miles of public trails. It is home to several cheese factories, wineries, scenic historic drives, popular State Parks like Wyalusing, and historic buildings and museums.

“There’s no end of things to do," Judge Day says.

A Great Way to Find a Career

For more than three years, State Bar leaders have expounded on the disappearance of lawyers from the rural areas of Wisconsin – a trend that is already leading to crisis in some areas. Matching that need is the need for young and new lawyers to find not just jobs, but careers.

“The challenges in recruiting lawyers to these communities has proven significant,” said State Bar President Chris Rogers. “With many lawyers retiring or near retirement, rural areas are at risk of losing access to local legal services and support. The problem is accentuated by the fact that approximately 70 percent of lawyers practicing in these counties are over age 50.”

“There is a huge need for attorneys to come to these areas,” says Kasey Grams of Bilski & Associates, Osseo, and a member of the tour’s workgroup. “Especially Trempealeau, Jackson, Pepin, Buffalo, and Clark counties. There is a big caseload to go around.”

For those willing to trade the dream of a large firm job in a big city with that of a solo or small-firm practice in the areas where there may be more cows than people, the careers are out there.

Elizabeth Bizot, a third-year U.W. Law School student, is just such a person. She joined the tour to explore the idea of rural practice in Wisconsin after earning her undergraduate degree in rural Illinois.

She spent her time on the tour talking with local attorneys, including district attorneys and public defenders, as well as the local judiciary. “I get the sense that they are all very collegial,” she said. “Everybody knows everyone and they respect each – and that’s really noteworthy.”

The most important part of the journey for her was making connections. “That’s a great way to find a job,” Bizot said.

Six Counties, 98 Lawyers

This year’s tour headed west – in prior years, it went north, making connections for lawyers that resulted in success, such as for Nekoosa attorney Patrick Scharmer. The tour visited six counties with a total population of less than 100 active and emeritus attorneys, according to State Bar records – with as few as three in Buffalo County and 39 in Grant County. Fifteen Wisconsin counties have 10 or fewer attorneys actively practicing law. In these areas, attorneys are desperately needed.

Local attorneys and judges offered advice as well as a realistic picture for the participants.

While there are exceptions to the rule, in general, practicing in a small city or rural area requires a broad range of legal skills, such as estate planning, business law, and agriculture law.

“There is opportunity for individuals to come out here and do a variety of things,” said Judge Robert VanDeHey of Grant County Circuit Court.

Tips to Get Started

Grams worked in corporate law at a larger firm for a year before moving to private practice in a rural area. She was a solo attorney for a year before joining the small firm of Bilski & Associates.

“Expect to drive a lot, and expect a wide variety of cases,” said Grams. “Flexibility is necessary, as is being a self-starter.”

As someone who’s made the transition to a rural practice, she has this advice:

• Keep costs low.

• Be flexible in the types of cases you take, even if they are not the type you are looking for: “That’s key for a new attorney in order to be successful.”

• Take public defender cases: “It’s a great way to get in court and see other attorneys in action, and to build your business.”

• Join the local bar association.

• Don’t expect to get a job with a firm.

“We’ve got a really great bar association – the TriCounty Bar,” Grams said. “We’re close-knit, and all the members are willing to act as resources for questions. New attorneys can expect to move in and get great support from the bar members.”

Being a Part of Your Community

Sure, in the rural areas of Wisconsin, there is easy access to any kind of outdoor activity. But that’s not the only bonus.

“It’s not hard to really become an integral part of this community,” said Black River Falls Mayor Jay Eddy. “There are so many clubs and organizations – it’s easy not just to live here, but be a part of it.”

For more information about the tour and future opportunities, contact Michelle Sherbinow, State Bar of Wisconsin Member Services program coordinator, at (608) 250-6184.

See also “Going Rural: Insights from Park Falls to Monroe,” Christopher Shattuck, Wisconsin Lawyer magazine, September 2018.