May 13, 2026 – How is Wisconsin’s ongoing lawyer shortage affecting courts and communities? And what can attorneys learn from other states that have faced these challenges for decades?

Those questions are at the center of an upcoming discussion at the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Annual Meeting & Conference (AMC), where former Alaska Supreme Court Chief Justice Joel H. Bolger will share insights from his years serving rural and remote communities in Alaska.

For Wisconsin lawyers considering where and how to build a practice, the conversation offers a look at how attorney shortages can reshape not only access to justice, but also the long-term strength of communities and the legal profession itself.

When Legal Representation Is Missing

From the court’s perspective, lawyer shortages often become most visible when litigants attempt to navigate the legal system alone.

“In recent years… we’ve tried to add more supports for unrepresented litigants,” Justice Bolger explained. “But even with all those supports, there are cases where an unrepresented party will fail to bring up the law that applies to a certain situation or the facts and then there’s just a miscarriage of justice.”

Justice Bolger pointed to a case involving a Coast Guard member who unknowingly agreed in a divorce settlement to divide disability benefits that carried federal restrictions. By the time he realized the legal consequences, it was too late to modify the agreement.

“If he had got just a small amount of legal advice he would have entered into a better agreement,” Justice Bolger said.

The example highlights one of the profession’s growing concerns: even limited legal guidance can dramatically alter outcomes, but many communities do not have enough lawyers available to provide this modicum of help.

A Small-Town Perspective

Although Bolger eventually became Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court, his roots are in rural America.

“I was raised on a farm in western Iowa about 7 miles from a town of 1,200,” he said.

After law school, he joined a legal aid program in Alaska and worked in a fishing village before moving into private practice and later the judiciary. Over roughly 30 years, he lived and worked in several small Alaska communities.

That experience gave him firsthand insight into the challenges of delivering legal services in geographically isolated areas.

“There were very few private attorneys compared to the population,” Justice Bolger said. “And I think it probably is more difficult today.”

At the same time, he emphasized that life in rural Alaska shares many similarities with life in rural Iowa. “There’s certain things about the social dynamics, about knowing everybody in town,” he said.

That sense of connection and community is part of what continues to draw some attorneys toward small-town practice, even amid ongoing challenges.

How Alaska Responded

Alaska’s lawyer shortage is amplified by geography. Many communities are inaccessible by road and require transportation by plane or boat. In response, the state has experimented with a variety of approaches to expand access to justice.

One of the most significant is the use of community justice workers.

“Legal Services Corporation has trained more than 200 professionals,” Justice Bolger explained. “Now they call them community justice workers who are spread in positions across the state.”

In 2022, the Alaska Supreme Court adopted a rule allowing these trained workers to provide certain legal services and advice under supervision in designated subject areas.

“That’s one approach,” Justice Bolger said, “basically relying on people that are already in the community to help deliver these services.”

Alaska has also invested heavily in remote access and legal self-help resources. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, telephonic court participation was common. Since then, the courts have expanded videoconferencing capabilities to make participation easier for parties located far from courthouses.

The state also developed self-help centers where unrepresented litigants can receive assistance with forms, instructional videos, and telephone guidance.

In addition, Alaska has focused on pipeline programs aimed at encouraging younger generations to consider legal careers. Because the state does not have its own law school, outreach and partnerships are especially important.

Programs like “Color of Justice” introduce students – many from rural communities – to legal topics and careers early in life.

Why This Matters Beyond the Courtroom

Justice Bolger expressed concern not only about access to justice, but also about what lawyer shortages could mean for public confidence in institutions.

“Good legal results are important for community support for the courts,” he said.

He warned that declining confidence in the justice system can create broader social consequences.

“I’m concerned that if there is a decline in the effectiveness of the justice system that that will kind of snowball.”

The issue also affects economic development.

“It’s important to have lawyers in rural areas to kind of grease the wheels of commerce,” Justice Bolger explained, noting that businesses depend on attorneys to form corporations, structure partnerships, and navigate regulatory and tax issues.

Without lawyers available to assist those efforts, communities can struggle to grow.

“I’m concerned that with the absence of lawyers that there is some atrophy in commercial activity in rural areas,” he said.

Why Wisconsin Attorneys Should Join the Conversation

Justice Bolger believes conversations like this one are critical because the effects of lawyer shortages extend far beyond rural counties alone.

“I think that it is important to address this topic both for rural areas and for the community in general,” he said.

He also emphasized the unique value of discussing these issues in person at AMC alongside attorneys and judges from across Wisconsin.

“Come to northwest Wisconsin,” he said. “Sit next to your brothers and sisters from northwest Wisconsin who probably know a little bit more about this topic and who will really encourage this discussion.”

For Wisconsin attorneys, particularly younger lawyers thinking about long-term career opportunities and the future of the profession, the discussion offers both cautionary lessons and practical ideas drawn from states already confronting these challenges head-on.