Bill hopes to attract lawyers to state's rural communities

Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad introduced a bill to the Nebraska legislature that would lower student loan repayment obligations for attorneys who serve low earning clients in rural parts of the state.

LB808 could provide public service attorneys working in communities with a population lower than 15,0000 with $6,000 a year in loan forgiveness, according to the Unicameral Update, the Nebraska Legislature’s official news source.

The judiciary committee heard this bill on Feb. 21.

Behind the proposal is a growing shortage of legal support in rural areas. There were 18 lawyers in Cheyenne County in 2012, while there were four in Deuel county, two in Kimball county and none in Banner county, According to the Nebraska State Bar Association. This leaves the attorneys who do work in these communities with a very full workload.

Even then, sometimes citizens seeking legal help in these areas might have to travel out of town for assistance.

“The work is here,” said Cheyenne County attorney Paul Schaub in a previous interview. “We’re all loaded up with a lot of work to do.”

Both defense and prosecuting attorneys in Cheyenne County have their plates full, Schaub added.

New graduates are less likely to take rural jobs because they pay less than city jobs, which is a growing concern with rising student loan debt, according to the NSBA.

The benefits of practicing in a rural community are many, according to the bar association. These include accelerated career advancement. The average length of time to reach partner in an urban firm is 7-10 years while it is 4-5 years in a rural area. The lower cost of living often offsets lower pay.

According to the NSBA, there are 12 Nebraska counties with no attorneys at all and in some areas in the state residents must travel 200 miles in order to obtain legal help. This bill would give newly graduated attorneys incentive to move to rural areas, the Senator reportedly said.

The legislature took no immediate action on the bill.

In summer 2013, the NSBA started its rural practice initiative. This program educates second and third year law students about the benefits of practicing law in rural areas in the state.

This problem is not limited to Nebraska. According to the New York Times, South Dakota recently passed a law offering lawyers an annual subsidy to live and work in rural areas. The Iowa and Kansas state bars also have programs encouraging lawyers to look for jobs outside of urban areas.