The North Dakota Supreme Court announced on May 4 that it is now accepting applications from counties and municipalities interested in joining the Rural Attorney Recruitment Program.
The program aims to increase the number of attorneys living and working in rural areas of North Dakota. This initiative addresses legal service shortages in smaller communities by providing financial support for attorneys who commit to work in these regions.
Established by the legislature in 2021, the Rural Attorney Recruitment Program requires participation from three parties: the state of North Dakota, the State Bar Association of North Dakota, and each participating community. Each contributes funds to retain an attorney within an eligible community for a five-year period. Eligibility is limited to counties with five or fewer attorneys or municipalities with populations under 5,000 residents.
Application requirements are detailed in section 2 of Administrative Rule 62. The deadline for counties and municipalities to apply is set for July 1 at 5 p.m. central time. Applications should be sent to the Office of the State Court Administrator at their Bismarck address.
Attorneys interested in participating may submit their applications at any time using an electronic form available on the Court’s website. Additional information about the program can be found on its dedicated information page.
