Rural America
Ensuring equal access to justice for the nearly one in five Americans living in rural communities
Rural Americans face unique challenges in securing civil legal assistance, including limited transportation, scare providers and geographic isolation.
LSC is committed to closing this justice gap by supporting programs that bring essential legal help to underserved communities across rural America.
Discover practical recommendations for closing the rural justice gap.
Bringing Legal Help to Underserved Communities
Rural Americans are especially likely to experience debt and housing problems, including:
Medical debt
Predatory lending
Manufactured housing disputes
Farmer Saves Livelihood with Legal Help
A farmer in North Carolina didn’t know how his family would survive after a tropical storm devastated his farm. LSC-funded legal aid helped him overturn a denied FEMA application and save his family’s livelihood.
Facts and Figures
20% of the U.S. Population
Nearly 20% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, but only 2% of lawyers practice there.
Disproportionately Underserved
Rural residents are disproportionately older, low-income and more likely to be veterans than their urban counterparts.
Few Practicing Attorneys
Many rural counties have no practicing attorneys at all.
Download a fact sheet on legal services in rural America.
Rural Justice Task Force
In 2020, LSC made rural justice an official priority by establishing the Rural Justice Task Force. Since that time, the Task Force has held field hearings in rural communities across the nation and conducted a comprehensive review of best practices in bringing legal support to rural communities.
Rural Summer Legal Corps
LSC’s Rural Summer Legal Corps matches law students with legal aid organizations serving rural communities. In partnership with Equal Justice Works, this fellowship places 40-50 talented law students all across the country each summer.