The Oklahoma Bar Journal March 2024

Legal Deserts F rom T he P resident By Miles Pringle

I N FEBRUARY, MEMBERS OF OBA LEADERSHIP attended the 2024 Midyear Meeting for the National Conference of Bar Presidents. This event was a great opportunity to learn from peers around the nation and receive updates on hot topics. We engaged in roundta ble discussions and presentations on subjects such as engagement between the bench and the bar. One of the most import ant programs I was able

One of the remedies the presenters suggested was training potential rural attorneys where they reside. Former Attorney General Kilgore emphasized the location of the Appalachian School of Law in a more rural part of the state. Dean Roberts highlighted her school’s online

program, which accepts a limited number of students who can earn their degrees without moving to the San Antonio metro. We discussed legal deserts with current members of

Members discuss their concerns with how few lawyers there are in their communities.

to attend was titled “Legal Deserts: Why They Matter and What Bar Associations Can Do.” The speakers were Jerry Kilgore, former Virginia attorney general and chair

for the Appalachian School of Law Board of Trustees, and St. Mary’s University School of Law Dean Patricia Roberts. The program description framed the issue that, “There are

the OBA Leadership Academy. I was impressed with their discussion regarding how technology could help. By using more virtual or electronic hearings, they believe attorneys can represent clients in a wider geographical area without travel costs. They also discussed how a robust e-filing system could help serve rural clients. The speakers at the NCBP program also highlighted the steps that Nebraska has taken. Nebraska is building a program through which undergraduate students who meet certain requirements are automatically accepted to law school and can receive some loan forgiveness for law school tuition. This is modeled from programs developed to encourage medical providers to stay in rural communities. It will be interesting to see how successful this program is. Legal deserts are an ongoing concern for access to justice in the state. There does not appear to be a simple solution or a quick fix. However, hopefully, there are several steps that can be taken in the coming years to help address this issue.

1,300 counties that have less than one attorney per 1,000 residents and 54 counties with no lawyer at all … The effect on access to justice is profound.” This is an issue that has come up in my conversations with attor neys around the state of Oklahoma. Members discuss their concerns with how few lawyers there are in their communities. The num bers support their concerns. In Oklahoma, there are 14 counties that have five or fewer attorneys. Immediate Past President Hermanson recalls conversations he has had with rural attorneys who are looking toward retirement. “These are lawyers with good practices who are having trouble handing off good books of business. We need to get younger lawyers to meet these people and learn about these opportunities.”

Miles Pringle is executive vice president and general counsel at The Bankers Bank in Oklahoma City. 405-848-8877 mpringle@tbb.bank

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL