Bloomfield, Indiana — While many law graduates flock to bustling city firms, Chloe Carnes, recently armed with a degree from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, chose a path less traveled. After an impactful summer externship, Carnes has returned to Greene County, swelling the scant ranks of public defenders in this rural area known more for its open spaces than its attorney offices.
Carnes’ commitment reflects a broader effort to combat the acute shortage of legal professionals in Indiana’s rural communities. The state battles an alarming shortage, with only 2.3 lawyers per 1,000 residents, starkly lower than the national average. This disparity placed Indiana 44th nationwide in lawyer density. Over half of Indiana’s counties endure the status of “legal deserts,” where lawyer availability is exceedingly sparse, according to the American Bar Association.
The Rural Justice Initiative—a collaboration between the McKinney School and the IU Maurer School of Law in Bloomington—aims at mitigating this shortage. Launched in 2019, this initiative provides law students paid externships, collaborating with judges, prosecutors, and public defenders across Indiana’s countryside. Notably, Carnes’ summer at the Greene County Public Defender’s Office led her back there full-time, reinforcing the initiative’s goal to not only bolster legal services but retain talent in these underserved areas.
This initiative has seen considerable buy-in across the state, drawing participants eager to serve communities that mirror their own. For instance, Kayden Mathers, a second-year student at Maurer and native of Morgan County, spent his last summer aiding the Morgan County Circuit Court. Mathers’ involvement underscored the personal commitment of those who partake, driven by experiences and roots in similar communities.
The successes and challenges of these young attorneys and students are critical in addressing the disparities in legal representation in rural Indiana. The program recognizes the significant impact even one additional lawyer can make in these communities; for instance, in counties with populations hardly brushing tens of thousands, increasing the attorney count can dramatically improve access to justice.
Both Maurer and McKinney are eager to host about 8 to 10 interns each summer, with students receiving stipends for their contributions. The approach varies slightly between the two schools; Maurer students primarily assist judges while McKinney extends its placements to prosecutors and public defenders, offering more comprehensive legal exposure.
However, as Joel Schumm, director of McKinney’s judicial externship program, points out, some counties grapple with such acute shortages that they possess only a few legal professionals, some nearing retirement. This dire situation underscores the critical need for fresh legal talent in these communities.
On another front, the program offers invaluable practical experience, filling the gap between academic legal education and real-world application. Participants like George Admire from Maurer benefited significantly. Working in Shelby County, he gained firsthand court experience that he acknowledged was instrumental in understanding client interaction and courtroom dynamics—skills that law school alone couldn’t impart.
Yet, these initiatives can only do so much. While the program has been successful in introducing students to rural legal needs and attracting some to stay, the bigger challenge remains of ensuring consistent legal representation in these regions.
Despite these endeavors, circuit judges like Erik Allen in Greene County emphasize the mutual benefits—the jurisdictions receive much-needed legal assistance while interns gain essential skills and insights, potentially guiding their future careers.
As these initiatives progress, the hope is that more students like Carnes will not only explore but also set their roots in these underserved areas, alleviating the significant legal service disparities. Nonetheless, it is clear that it will take more than interim initiatives to completely resolve the disparities in rural legal representation.
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