FEBRUARY 19, 2025|
Photo – UW College of Law – Courtesy University of Wyoming
The Carbon County Prosecutor’s Office will cover lodging costs for University of Wyoming legal students.
During Tuesday’s Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, County Prosecutor Sarah Chavez Harkins explained that the University of Wyoming’s College of Law offers an annual program called Legal Liftoff. Prosecutor Harkins said law students may choose to spend their spring break in Carbon County to gain practical legal experience.
According to the University of Wyoming’s College of Law, the Legal Liftoff program is intended to connect law students with potential mentors and offer them the opportunity to observe real-world legal practice.
Prosecutor Harkins asked for the board’s approval to use a portion of an unfilled attorney’s salary for a housing stipend for the students. The county prosecutor said attracting law students to Rawlins is challenging, and offering to cover lodging expenses may generate more interest.
Prosecutor Harkins estimated the cost of a week’s lodging to be between $500 and $600. Carbon County has not had much success attracting law students and the stipend may help entice candidates to our area.
The Board authorized the Carbon County Prosecutor’s Office to use money from an unfilled attorney position to offer a housing stipend for University of Wyoming law students. Prosecutor Harkins said she hopes that a Legal Liftoff student may be enticed to take that unfilled attorney position.
New to this year’s Legal Liftoff program is the Wyoming State Bar Rural Endowment Fund, which awarded two College of Law students with a $300 grant to help offset travel expenses, lodging, mileage, and other costs associated with rural legal practice opportunities. The grant was open to students interested in working in 14 rural counties, including Carbon.
