KU Law student wins grant, committed to serving Reno County

LAWRENCE – A third-year student at the University of Kansas School of Law will receive a grant from the Kansas Farm Bureau Legal Foundation. Thomas Kucera is a recipient of the foundation’s Rural Law Practice Grant.

The grant is awarded to law students who intend to practice in rural Kansas after graduation, bringing legal information and advocacy to those with limited access to resources. A maximum of three students each year can win the $16,500 grant.

Kucera, who will graduate in May, plans to serve as an assistant district attorney in the Reno County District Attorney’s office. His said his decision to pursue a career in rural Kansas stems from his appreciation of small-town culture, which he experienced growing up in a small town outside of Wichita and while attending college in Newton.

“I really enjoyed the small-town culture. I saw so many people who were always involved with each other, and whenever there was a tragedy, there's always a lot of support coming from the communities,” he said. “I know that one of the most pressing needs for rural communities is public servants, so I want to be a prosecutor and serve those communities.”

This career path has been a long-standing goal for Kucera.

“Since his first year in law school, Thomas knew he wanted to serve rural Kansas,” said Stacey Blakeman, assistant dean of career services at KU Law. “He sought out opportunities while in law school to make great connections and receive the needed training to hit the ground running.”

Kucera said he looks forward to establishing roots in Reno County with his wife, who will begin her career as a dentist in nearby McPherson. He hopes to raise a family in the tight-knit community while gaining valuable experience as a prosecutor.

“I don’t think a lot of people who I've met through law school have ever experienced rural communities, so they don't really have a great understanding of what living in a rural community or the immense amount of satisfaction that you can gain from working in those communities is like,” he said.

He encourages his peers to consider careers in rural areas, emphasizing the unique professional opportunities they offer.

“Working in rural places, there's a lot of experience to go around, versus working in one of the larger counties,” he said. “There's so many more opportunities outside of being a lawyer in those rural communities that most people don't even know about.”

Kucera also seeks to dispel misconceptions about rural areas, reminding fellow students that these communities are often closer than they think.

“There's a lot of legal work to do everywhere,” he said. “You just have to be willing to go to these places.”