The names of the 13 Fellows selected to participate in the 2022 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.

2022 Summer Fellows:

• Fellow: Seth VanDyke (Northern Illinois University College of Law)
  Firm: McGrath Law Office, P.C. (Tazewell County)
• Fellow: John Nairn (Southern Illinois University School of Law)
  Firm: Wittman & Lorton, P.C. (Jersey County)
• Fellow: Elizabeth Conroy (Northern Illinois University College of Law)
  Firm: Ward Murray Pace & Johnson P.C. (Whiteside County)
• Fellow: Jacob Finley (Northern Illinois University College of Law)
  Firm: Maas Legal, LLC (Ogle County)
• Fellow: Steven Santamarina (University of Illiois College of Law)
  Firm: Cha Law Ltd. (Crawford County)
• Fellow: Ashley Sherwood (Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law)
  Firm: Heller, Holmes & Associates P.C. (Coles County)

2022 Associate Fellows:

• Fellow: Jennah Graham (Northern Illinois University College of Law)
  Firm: The Cosentino Law Firm (DeKalb County)
• Fellow: Hannah Rodgers (Northern Illinois University College of Law)
  Firm: Brown Law Group, LLC (DeKalb County)
• Fellow: Keegan Samolinski (Northern Illinois University College of Law)
  Firm: Gatza & Milus, PC (LaSalle County)
• Fellow: Simone Freeney (DePaul University College of Law)
  Firm: Moehle, Swearingen & Lobacz, Ltd. (Tazwell County)
• Fellow: Michael Lawlor (Loyola University Chicago School of Law)
  Firm: McMillan, Hennenfent & DeJoode, P.C. (McDonough/Warren Counties)
• Fellow: Stacey Meyers (Chicago-Kent College of Law)
  Firm: Barash and Everett, LLC (Knox County)
• Fellow: Humberto Ochoa Jr. (Chicago-Kent College of Law)
  Firm: Craig & Craig, LLC (Coles County)