The University of Georgia School of Law announced two initiatives to address the shortage of attorneys—namely prosecutors and public defenders—in the rural areas of Georgia, which one expert said will help aid a public legal service field in desperate need of new attorneys.

The Georgia Honors Fellows Program will provide stipends for up to 10 students working in public defenders or prosecutors' offices, with the option to continue their service after one term through private funding. The program will also financially support several university graduates in full-time positions, while paying for bar exam preparation costs for each participant and  contributing $10,000 annually to reduce the graduates' debt each year, the law school announced earlier this month.