The names of the 16 Fellows selected to participate in the 2023 Rural Practice Fellowship Program, which is designed to meet the critical need of providing access to justice for those living in rural areas with a declining lawyer population, have been announced.

The Rural Practice Summer Fellows Program connects law students with rural practitioners to give them experience working in rural communities before they leave law school. The program includes a $5,000 fellowship stipend and mentoring.

The Rural Practice Associate Fellows Program places graduating law students and new attorneys as permanent associates with rural practitioners. The program includes a $5,000 stipend at the beginning of employment, and an additional $5,000 stipend if the associate is still working for the same firm after one year.

2023 Summer Clerk Fellows:

• Fellow: Madelyn Walters (Stetson University College of Law)
  Firm: Nicole M. Bauer; Plager, Krug, Bauer, Rudolph & Stodden, Ltd. (Stephenson County)
• Fellow: Gwendolin Bresnan (Northern Illinois University College of Law
  Firm: Ryan Byers; Rammelkamp Bradney, P.C. (Morgan County)
• Fellow: Jeremiah Dunahee (University of Illinois College of Law)
  Firm: Holly Galvin; Martensen, Niemann, & Galvin, LLC (Ford County)
• Fellow: Jarrett Jones (University of Illinois College of Law) – ATG Fellow Law Clerk
  Firm: James Myers; Law Group of Illinois Ltd (Effingham County)
• Fellow: Matthew M. Ellefson (Southern Illinois University School of Law)
  Firm: Jeffery Alford; Alford Law Office (Paducah, KY)
• Fellow: Cole Schafer (Southern Illinois University School of Law)
  Firm: Paul “Jay” Schafer; Schafer Law LLC (Williamson County)

2023 Associate Fellows:

• Fellow: Jonathan Grossi (University of Iowa College of Law)
  Firm: Claire M. Wilson; Claire M. Wilson, Attorney at Law (Will County)
• Fellow: Michael J. Zywica (Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School)
  Firm: George Leynaud; Leynaud Law Group, LLC (LaSalle County)
• Fellow: Kathryn Friederichs (University of Oklahoma College of Law)
  Firm: Jeffrey McDaniel; Brooks Law Firm, P.C. (Rock Island County)
• Fellow: Thomas E. Goodman (Southern Illinois University School of Law)
  Firm: Samantha Bobor; Giffin, Winning, Cohen, & Bedowes, P.C. (Montgomery County)
• Fellow: Hailey Wills (Northern Illinois University College of Law)
  Firm: Thomas Nack; Nack, Richardson & Nack, P.C. (Jo Daviess County)
• Fellow: Joseph Strater (Southern Illinois University School of Law)
  Firm: Dustin Probst; Dove & Dove, Attorneys at Law (Shelby County)  
• Fellow: Elle Basler (Southern Illinois University School of Law)
  Firm: Elvis Cameron; Cameron Law Firm, LLC (Union County)
• Fellow: Molly Gregory (University of Illinois College of Law)
  Firm: Kaylan Huber; Huber & Mudd, LLC (Vermillion County)
• Fellow: Casey Williams (Southern Illinois University School of Law)
  Firm: Matthew Benson; The Benson Law Firm (Perry County) 
• Fellow: Jerald Dehne (Southern Illinois University School of Law)
  Firm: Jonathan Mitchell; Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan (Jackson County)