May 28, 2025 – Meet the three attorneys accepted into the inaugural year of the State Bar’s new Rural Practice Development Program to help bridge the gap in legal services in rural communities throughout the state.

Each year, three attorneys have the chance to relocate to designated rural communities, join or establish a law practice, and receive a financial stipend to support the transition.

As attorneys in the program, the three applicants agree to relocate to a rural community and practice law for at least two years. In return, they receive more than $15,000 in cash and State Bar programming and products. The inaugural attorney group includes:

Wassim Malas, U.W. 2010 and San Diego, LLM 2011, practices in estate planning, real estate, landlord-tenant, business, and tax law. He seeks to expand his practice into family law. He is a solo attorney with Hilal Law LLC.

Weston Schmidt, U.W. 2025, is beginning his legal career in June as assistant corporation counsel in Oneida County, after he has come to love the area after working there as a 1L and 2L. ​

Mark Schmitz, U.W. 2009, is a farm transition advisor with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and a part-time solo attorney focusing on real estate, small claims, and estate planning. On June 1, Mark will be joining the Vernon County District Attorney’s Office. ​

Each attorney receives a total value of $15,466 in cash and State Bar programs:

• a $5,000 stipend awarded at the beginning and another $5,000 upon successful completion of the two-year term;

• a subscription to PINNACLE® Books Unbound for individuals (valued at $1,409 annually);

• the PINNACLE® Ultimate Pass™ Gold (valued at $1,199 annually) to cover CLE; and

• if applicable, membership in the Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) panel (valued at $125 annually) for the two-year duration of the program.

More About the Program

The Rural Practice Development Program is designed to bridge the gap in legal services in rural communities across Wisconsin.

The program is fully funded by the Wisconsin Law Foundation Kathryn Rasmussen Bullon Fund to Enhance Legal Representation.

The goal of this program is to foster long-term attorney retention in rural Wisconsin and improve access to essential legal services. By supporting attorneys who are invested both professionally and personally in these communities, the State Bar aims to create sustainable legal practices that can make a lasting impact.

The program selects three applicants willing to relocate to rural Wisconsin, establish a practice, and commit to at least two years of living and practicing law in these underserved areas. Attorneys must work full-time for a qualified employer or establish a full-time private practice in a defined county.

The program compiles a list of rural employers interested in hiring an attorney, and the list is given to the selected applicants. This is not an offer of employment nor a job posting, and participants can find employment outside of the State Bar list or open their own practice.

Interested in applying as an applicant or being listed as an employer for next year? Visit the Rural Practice Development Program website for more information. The application deadline is March 31 annually.