The State Bar’s Greater Wisconsin Initiative encourages attorneys to consider practicing in Greater Wisconsin. We’re here to help you learn if rural practice is right for you and provide you with the resources you need to get started.
Wisconsin's rural population tops 1.6 million. With many lawyers approaching retirement age, more and more nonurban communities are at risk of losing access to legal services. Why? As attorneys retire, there aren’t always younger lawyers around to take their place.
Some areas of Wisconsin are already experiencing the consequences of lawyer shortages. More than 60 percent of Wisconsin lawyers are located in the state’s three urban counties. On the other hand, a number of nonurban counties have fewer than 10 lawyers each. Many more counties have fewer than 20 lawyers.
What happens when a rural area no longer has a lawyer? Vital legal needs go unmet and access to justice is jeopardized. What does this mean for you as a new lawyer? Opportunities abound all over Wisconsin to establish your practice!
