Central Illinois

Now accepting applications for the 2027-28 season!

The ISBA’s Rural Practice Initiative Committee created the Rural Practice Fellowship Program in 2020 to increase access to attorneys in rural areas of Illinois. The Program connects rural and small-town attorneys and law firms looking to hire summer law clerks and full-time associates with law students and attorneys interested in practicing law in rural communities in Illinois.

As of 2020, data showed that more than half of Illinois counties have less than 0.7 lawyers in private practice per 1,000 residents. Thirty-five Illinois counties have ten or fewer attorneys total in private practice, and 13 counties have five or fewer attorneys total in private practice. Learn more about legal deserts.

The ISBA Rural Practice Section offers the Rural Practice Fellowship to address the issue.

The Summer Clerk portion of the Program connects law students with rural practitioners to give them experience working in rural communities before they leave law school. Summer Law Clerk Fellows receive a $5,000 stipend, mentoring, support, and training.

The Associate portion of the Program places attorneys as associates with rural practitioners where they serve both paying and pro bono clients. Associate Fellows receive a $10,000 stipend to be paid $5,000 at the beginning of the fellowship and $5,000 to be paid after the first year of the fellowship, mentoring, support, and training.

Deadline for applications is September 18, 2026.

Learn more about the programs and apply. 

Email RPFellows@isba.org with questions.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is accepting applications for multiple open attorney positions.

The ISBA Springfield and Chicago offices will be closed for the holiday beginning Wednesday, July 1. They will reopen on Monday, July 6. During this time, members can expect the following:

• E-Clips will not be delivered for the duration of this period
• The Bar News will not be delivered on Thursday, July 2

All business and e-newsletter distribution will resume as usual on July 6, 2026.

On behalf of everyone at the ISBA, we wish you a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Perry J. Browder of Alton, a senior partner at Simmons Hanly Conroy, was installed as the 150th president of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) during a ceremony held June 4, 2026, at the Illinois Supreme Court Building, 200 E. Capitol Avenue, in Springfield.