Darke County's "Country Lawyers": Cause Lawyering Classifications

Abstract: This qualitative case study explores the experiences and perspectives of seventeen attorneys practicing in rural Darke County, Ohio, to examine the dynamics of exurban legal practice and its alignment with existing cause lawyering frameworks. The research investigates cause-lawyering identifications along the metrics of attorney motivations, practice settings, goals, and strategies. The findings indicate shared values of service and community, positioning many participants within the framework of individual-focused cause lawyering. However, familial motivations also emerged as significant drivers for rural practice, complicating a strict categorization. Keywords: Rural, Legal Practice, Cause Lawyering, Ohio, Service