MONTANA NEWS

2021 RIPL fellow applicants sought

The Rural Incubator Project forLawyers is now accepting applications on a rolling basis for a new round of fellows.

RIPL is a 24-month program designed to train and support attorneys as they develop and launch new solo and small firm law practices.

One five-day Boot Camp for new fellows is happening virtually May 10-14. Visit https://www.mtlsa.org/rural-incubator-project-for-lawyers/ or email ripl@mtlsa.org for more information. Montana Legal Services Association is grateful for our RIPL partnerships with Montana Justice Foundation, State Bar of Montana, Supreme Court of Montana, Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana, and Driscoll Hathaway Law Group.

RIPL has trained 10 new solo lawyers, providing intensive training, education, mentoring, and practice-building tools. In its first two years, RIPL has helped 519 clients and their family members. These clients live in 38 counties, including 30 counties outside the state’s six biggest urban areas. Fellows have addressed legal issues touching on basic life needs such as family law, housing, consumer, tax, wills and probate, and employment issues. The first two fellows, Jennifer Williams and Walter Clapp, completed their fellowship terms in early 2021.

Jessica Wiles began her RIPL Fellowship in October 2019. “As an attorney whose background was focused on administrative and environmental law, I always felt nervous about getting involved in pro bono and modest means legal work because I did not feel I had even basic legal knowledge in the areas of the law affecting the everyday lives of low and modest means Montanans,” Wiles said. “Now, after only a year in the RIPL program, I feel confident that I am able to provide competent and high-quality legal advice and services to individuals in need across our state.

The RIPL program provided me with the training, mentoring, and support system I needed to provide legal advice calls and take cases, mostly on a limited scope basis, in areas such as estates and probate, landlord/tenant, and family law. I know that my practice, no matter what direction it takes in the future, will always include space for pro bono and modest means work. The RIPL program is an excellent example of how to boost the skills and knowledge of attorneys already working here in Montana to increase affordable access to Justice for Montanans.”

Applications will continue to be accepted after the next round of fellows is selected.

If you are unable to commit to the RIPL fellowship but are interested in assisting with one or more modest means cases, please contact Ann Goldes-Sheahan at the State Bar of Montana at agoldes@montanabar.org or 406-447-2201.