The mayor of Bicknell is now a law school graduate.
In an interview with an Indianapolis TV station, Mayor Thomas Estabrook says the need for attorneys in rural Indiana is growing.
According to WISH-TV, Estabrook graduated Saturday from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law after spending four years commuting between Bicknell and Indianapolis for classes.
Estabrook says Bicknell currently has no attorneys, forcing residents to travel to other communities for legal services. Statewide, nearly half of Indiana counties are considered “legal deserts,” meaning there are fewer than one attorney for every one-thousand residents.
The Indiana State Bar Association is launching a Rural Practice Academy this summer to encourage attorneys to open offices in underserved areas. Officials also continue discussing online law school options and other efforts aimed at increasing the number of attorneys in rural communities.
Estabrook says he plans to take the Indiana bar exam and hopes to eventually provide legal services in Bicknell, including help with wills, trusts, and property matters.
