The Benefits of the Rural Practice Program for a Small Firm

Our firm, Huber & Mudd, LLC, has greatly benefitted from the Rural Practice Fellowship Program. We primarily practice in Vermilion County but also maintain cases in Iroquois County and Edgar County. It is difficult to get new attorneys to move into our area to practice. We have many practitioners who are retiring or are passing away, which has created a gap in representation for many of our population. We have found that the amount of legal work is not decreasing. Vermilion County has opportunities for new lawyers to hit the ground running and to make as much money as they want to make.

We are appreciative of the Rural Practice Fellowship Program, as it allowed us to hire a clerk, through the program, who later became our first Associate with the firm. She has been with our firm for almost two years as an Associate Attorney and is thriving. Additionally, we also have a law clerk who will be transitioning as an Associate Attorney after the 2026 Summer Bar Exam. She, too, has applied through the Rural Practice Fellowship Program. 

The programming put on by the Rural Practice Section Council, through the ISBA, is invaluable, both for the attorneys as well as the law clerks. The continuation of camaraderie throughout the process allows for a more effective communication process from Day 1 through the entire year-long program and after. 

If you are considering applying for the program, either as a law firm, clerk, or associate, do not wait. Submit your application and see what the Rural Practice Fellowship Program can do for you and your firm. Applications will open Fall 2026 for 2027-28 Fellows. Stay tuned!