With 78 of Ohio's 88 counties classified as legal deserts, a new collaborative initiative seeks to bridge the justice gap in rural communities. Lawyers = Justice: A Northwest Ohio Legal Collaborative, launched with support from Zoll & Kranz founding partner Michelle L. Kranz, aims to expand legal access and nurture long-term attorney presence in underserved areas.
The three-year program brings together the Ohio State Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Foundation, University of Toledo College of Law, and Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law. Funding includes a $1.465 million grant from the Ohio State Bar Foundation, supplemented by in-kind contributions from the participating law schools and the Ohio Bar.
"A legal problem can threaten a family's stability, a farm's future or a small business's survival, and those consequences do not become less serious because the nearest attorney is an hour away," said Kranz, former president of the Ohio State Bar Association. "This initiative addresses today's need for counsel while creating a real reason for young lawyers to put down roots in the communities they serve."
The collaborative will operate through two clinic locations. The University of Toledo will oversee the Bowling Green clinic, serving residents across Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Ottawa, and Wood counties. Ohio Northern will expand its existing Lima clinic to reach income-eligible residents of Allen, Auglaize, Hardin, Putnam, and Van Wert counties.
Beyond immediate assistance, the program is designed to build a sustainable pipeline. Each year, it will support four newly licensed attorney fellows as they develop private practices in the region, while providing up to 40 law students with supervised, hands-on experience. Organizers project that the combined efforts could expand legal access for approximately 720 people annually.
Residents will receive help with matters affecting daily life, including family law, estate planning, real estate, consumer protection, small-business concerns, criminal law, and agriculture-related issues. Fellows will also represent individuals who earn too much to qualify for legal aid but struggle to afford traditional legal fees.
Kranz's commitment to rural legal access stems from personal experience. A Wood County resident whose family raises beef cattle, she has direct familiarity with the people, businesses, and land-use concerns that define rural Northwest Ohio. During her tenure as Ohio State Bar Association president from 2023 to 2024 and as a current trustee of the Ohio State Bar Foundation, she has consistently highlighted the consequences of legal deserts.
"Rural communities need lawyers who understand that a land-use decision, an estate plan and the future of a family operation may all be connected," Kranz explained. "Building that kind of trust takes time. By pairing practical service with training and mentorship, Lawyers = Justice gives new attorneys the opportunity to become part of the community rather than simply pass through it."
Recruitment of attorney fellows and law students is expected to begin in September 2026, with both clinics targeted to be fully staffed and operational later in the fall. The participating organizations view the initiative as a potential model for other Ohio regions facing similar attorney shortages.
For more information about the initiative and its partners, visit Zoll & Kranz and the Ohio State Bar Foundation's website.
