In a significant effort to address the legal needs of rural Ohio, a new collaborative initiative has been launched to target the state's widespread legal deserts. The project, named Lawyers = Justice: A Northwest Ohio Legal Collaborative, is a three-year program designed to expand legal access for rural residents and create pathways for attorneys to build sustainable practices in underserved communities.
The collaborative brings together the Ohio State Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Foundation, University of Toledo College of Law, and Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law. The initiative is funded by a substantial $1.465 million grant from the Ohio State Bar Foundation, supplemented by in-kind contributions from the participating law schools and the Ohio Bar.
Michelle L. Kranz, founding partner of Zoll & Kranz and former president of the Ohio State Bar Association, emphasized the importance of the program. "A legal problem can threaten a family's stability, a farm's future or a small business's survival, and those consequences do not become less serious because the nearest attorney is an hour away. This initiative addresses today's need for counsel while creating a real reason for young lawyers to put down roots in the communities they serve," Kranz said.
The program will operate through clinic locations in Bowling Green and Lima. The University of Toledo will oversee the Bowling Green clinic, serving residents across Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Ottawa, and Wood counties. Ohio Northern will expand its existing Lima clinic to reach income-eligible residents of Allen, Auglaize, Hardin, Putnam, and Van Wert counties.
Lawyers = Justice is structured to go beyond short-term legal assistance. Each year, it plans to support four newly licensed attorney fellows as they develop sustainable private practices in the region, while providing up to 40 law students with supervised, hands-on experience working alongside rural clients. Organizers project that the combined efforts of the clinics and fellows could expand legal access for approximately 720 people annually.
Residents are expected to receive assistance with matters that affect daily life, including family law, estate planning, real estate, consumer protection, small-business concerns, criminal law, and agriculture-related issues. Fellows will also provide representation to individuals who earn too much to qualify for legal aid but face difficulty covering traditional legal fees.
Ohio's rural attorney shortage is a pressing issue. Across the state, 78 of Ohio's 88 counties are classified as legal deserts, defined as having fewer than one attorney per 1,000 residents. The shortage extends beyond courtroom access, delaying estate planning, complicating property transfers, leaving families without guidance in guardianship or custody matters, and limiting the ability of farmers and landowners to navigate development, zoning, and environmental questions.
Kranz, who resides in Wood County and raises beef cattle, has direct familiarity with the challenges facing rural communities. "Rural communities need lawyers who understand that a land-use decision, an estate plan and the future of a family operation may all be connected. Building that kind of trust takes time. By pairing practical service with training and mentorship, Lawyers = Justice gives new attorneys the opportunity to become part of the community rather than simply pass through it," she said.
Recruitment of attorney fellows and law students is expected to begin in September 2026, with both clinics targeted to be fully staffed and operational later in the fall. The participating organizations have also identified the initiative as a potential model for other Ohio regions facing comparable attorney shortages.
