Through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Albany Law School staff and students will build a pilot program bringing legal services to rural New York areas.
The Rural Law Initiative program will also expose and educate law students on the potential of rural legal practice, matching those students with legal practitioners and judges in rural New York.
Legal subject matter to be explored under this initiative will center on business creation, tax incentives, land use, environmental law, property law, small business legal practice, and state and local government law. The program will serve the counties of Sullivan, Herkimer, Otsego and Schoharie, serving only small and startup businesses that cannot otherwise afford an attorney.
“The program allows a population to gain access to legal services, while lowering the barriers for our graduates to practice law in rural regions,” said Alicia Ouellette, president and dean of Albany Law School. “We think this grant will help close the gap between the needs of the businesses and legal service providers.”
Just 2 percent of small law firms in the state are located in rural areas. The grant seeks to help draw young attorneys to the rural parts of the state, connect with established firms and learn the legal issues facing farmers and small companies.
Also, the RLI will educate rural New Yorkers about their rights under the law and develop trust in the community, enhance civic engagement, promote financial literacy, foster economic empowerment and promote and develop current and future businesses. The targeted educational programs will provide legal information to small businesses, farmers, and particularly individuals and small farms seeking to start ancillary businesses.
