Half of South Dakota residents live in either Sioux Falls or Rapid City, according to recent census data. That leaves rural communities with dwindling resources—including access to legal services.
In response to this trend, South Dakota created a first-of-its kind program more than a decade ago.
The Rural Attorney Recruitment Program incentivizes new attorneys to spend five years in qualifying counties and municipalities. By signing a contract with the Unified Judicial system, South Dakota State Bar and the eligible community, those attorneys receive the equivalent of 90% of one year of law school tuition and fees each of the five years.
It was the first such program in the nation, and a unique partnership between the State Bar Association, the courts and the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law.
Pat Goetzinger is a former president of the state bar and co-chair of Project Rural Justice. On a recent episode of SDPB’s In the Moment, he shared the impact of the program’s first twelve years.
“At the end of June of 2025, we’ve had a total of 36 attorneys participate in the rural attorney recruitment program," he said. "Presently we have 11 active attorneys participating.”
Goetzinger says of the 19 attorneys who’ve completed the program, 14 stayed in the rural community they agreed to serve. He says those are good results, but there are still areas where the program can improve.
“One of the things that we wrestle with is mentorship," he explained. "And one of the main questions we get from new attorneys or potential attorneys looking at the program is, ‘Look, I’m going to be isolated in Faith, South Dakota; in Bison, South Dakota, or Buffalo, South Dakota. You know, where am I going to get the resources to be able to address the issues that come across my desk on a daily basis?”
Goetzinger says the program recently received funding to create a communication and resource hub to connect rural lawyers with mentors and other resources.
He also hopes the program can do more to supply lawyers to Indian Country, but that starts by recruiting more students from those communities.
