PIERRE - South Dakota Chief Justice David Gilbertson says a new law that gives incentives to lawyers willing to work in rural areas of the state will help more residents have access to legal services.

Gilbertson says the signing of House Bill 1096 into law last week makes South Dakota the first state in the nation to have legislation designed specifically to assist recruiting attorneys into rural parts of the state.

The new law creates a four-year pilot program for counties with a population of 10,000 or less. The county, State Bar Association and state of South Dakota split an incentive payment made to graduates of the University of South Dakota School of Law willing to practice in rural towns.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

More From KYBB-FM / B102.7