School of Law Delta Initiative Celebrates Five Years of Expanding Access to Justice

The U of A School of Law marked its fifth year of the Delta Initiative, a two-day outreach program that brings law students, faculty and staff to communities across the Arkansas Delta to help expand access to justice in rural areas while cultivating the next generation of public service-minded attorneys.

This year, Arkansas law students traveled to Marion and Wynne, providing free legal assistance and educational programming. Since its launch, the Delta Initiative has also served Osceola, Forrest City, West Memphis, Pine Bluff and Watson Chapel.

Created in 2021, the Delta Initiative grew out of the School of Law's commitment to addressing the region's shortage of legal professionals, increasing access to legal services and strengthening engagement with Delta communities. Through the program, law students gain hands-on experience serving Arkansans while learning firsthand about the legal needs facing rural communities.

"I first participated in the Delta Initiative pro bono trip during my first year of law school, and I had no idea how big an impact accessible legal aid could have on a person," said Claire Heffley, a third-year law student. "Working face-to-face with those in need of legal assistance and being able to provide free, immediate, life-changing legal support opened my eyes to the importance of what we do in the Delta region each fall. I'm proud of our law school for seeing a need in our community and tackling it head-on. Arkansas law's ongoing commitment to serving our fellow Arkansans is evident in all that we do, but it is undeniable when looking at the last five years of the Delta Initiative."

During this year's visit, students hosted a Constitution Day program and a record-sealing clinic with Legal Aid of Arkansas, partnering with volunteer attorneys to provide free legal assistance to community members. They also met with civics classes at Marion Junior High School, where law students engaged with local junior high students in a teen curfew/mock city council exercise designed to introduce young people to local government, civic participation and the law. The trip included a visit to the National Civil Rights Museum, offering law students an opportunity to reflect on the legal and historical significance of the Civil Rights movement.

"The impact of the Delta Initiative is incredibly vast," said Sydney Kincaid, a third-year law student. "Through free legal services and record sealing, Arkansans are given a new beginning and a fresh start. Pro bono work is a pillar of the legal profession, and Arkansas law's annual trip to the Delta provides help in communities that need it most. The initiative also encourages law students to get involved in pro bono work and teaches them the importance of accessible legal services."

Students said the experience provides meaningful opportunities to apply their classroom learning while serving communities that often have limited access to legal resources.

"I had the opportunity to participate in the Delta Initiative as a rising 2L," said Margarita Gonzales, a third-year law student. "The record-sealing clinic makes a huge difference in communities that otherwise lack access to legal resources. Without this help, individuals with prior records face real barriers to employment, housing and other opportunities. Programs like this fill a genuine need in the Delta region, and they give law students an early opportunity to be a resource and understand what that need looks like in practice."

Beyond community service, the Delta Initiative exposes law students to career opportunities throughout Arkansas and deepens their understanding of the challenges facing rural communities.

"What I appreciated most about participating in the Delta Initiative is that it allowed us to learn from the community while also serving it," said Lauren Stanger, a second-year law student. "It gave me a chance to interact with the law from different perspectives. Whether we were helping people navigate the record-sealing process, talking with students about how a proposed law could affect their community or learning about the history of the Civil Rights movement, I was reminded that being a lawyer is ultimately about understanding and serving people."

The Delta Initiative is sponsored by Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, PLLC and the Arkansas Bar Foundation.