July 2026 Rural Practice Newsletter

By Sarah J. Taylor

A reminder of the mission and efforts of the Rural Practice Section to improve the practice of law in rural areas, with a note from the current Chair of the Rural Practice Section Council. 

Learn more about Ted M. Niemann, ISBA's Treasurer, Member of the ISBA Board of Governors for Area VI, Board Liaison to Rural Practice, Real Estate, and Agricultural Law Section Councils, and general partner of Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu and Mitchell LLP, located in Quincy, Illinois. 

By Sam Ellis & Cari Brett Rincker

While Illinois Courts Access to Justice Improvement Grant Program has closed for the 2026-2027 application period, proposals are anticipated to open in June 2027 for the 2027-2028 cycle; Iowa leaders convene to address rural legal deserts; rural public defense shortages receive national attention; Indiana selects inaugural Rural Practice Academy class; New Mexico considers alternative licensing to address rural shortages; Tennessee Symposium examines rural justice gap and regulatory reform; and new national research reviews rural access to justice service design. 

By Carolyn Elefant

The question presented in this inaugural MyShingle Ethics Opinion: May lawyers pass the costs of artificial intelligence, from subscriptions and platform licenses to metered per-token usage charges, through to clients, and should they? The view of this Opinion is that firms should absorb all AI-related costs as overhead subject to two narrow situations only: extraordinary single-matter consumption that functions like an outside vendor charge, and tools the client directs the lawyer to use.

By Sean Endres

Deciding whether to seek guardianship for a minor can range from straightforward to deeply emotional. In some cases, guardianship is pursued for a limited, practical reason, such as enabling a minor to receive funds from a probate estate or personal injury settlement. In others, it involves difficult questions about a child’s care, safety, and long-term well-being when parents are unavailable or unable to provide proper care.

ISBA members and guests gathered at the Ritz-Carlton in St. Louis on June 11–12, 2026, for the Annual Meeting, which featured outstanding CLE programming, networking, and business meetings. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the Annual Meeting a success!