ABOUT ME

dinner table discussions, I started advocating for other farmers and ranchers through the National FFA Organization, where I quickly learned that most farmers and ranchers do not advocate effectively for themselves inside or outside of the courtroom; most of the time because they are focused on a variety of other things such as the day-to-day operation of their business.

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I then pursued a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University in order to expand my knowledge and skills in order to help farmers and ranchers learn to advocate effectively. After many hours in the classroom, studying abroad in Honduras and working as an intern for John Deere and the Kansas Department of Agriculture it became even more apparent that agriculture was in dire need of effective and passionate legal counsel. Not only do farmers and ranchers need legal counsel as any business owner would, but they need an attorney that understands the day-to-day work, the actual risk involved both in production and financially, as well as, someone that understands it is as much about family dynamics and issues as any family law matter is. It was this experience that pushed me to attend law school instead of entering the agribusiness world.

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At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Law I focused on classes that would give me the knowledge and skills to help farmers and ranchers of every size; classes like Farm and Ranch Tax, Agriculture Law, Business Associations, Wills and Trusts, and practical experience in Real Estate Transactions and the Entrepreneurship Clinic. I also interned for a water law attorney, a public commission and a large agribusiness where I learned how to actually practice law and apply the knowledge to the real world. 

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After law school, I left Lincoln as fast as I could and headed west to Lisco, Nebraska. Here I live on a hog farm with my husband, Scott, and three kids. Together we own and operate a 100 sow showpig operation, SD Genetics. Between myself and Scott, we do everything from the twice-daily feedings, farrowing, marketing hundreds of babies, financial management and so. much. shoveling. 

 

Throughout my experience practicing with farmers and ranchers of every size, experience and financial situation, it has become even more apparent that farmers and ranchers need an attorney that truly focuses on agriculture. Not an attorney that knows business and later learned what the difference between a steer and bull is, but someone that knew that there are zero steers born in the US every year long before law school. Farmers and ranchers are business owners, whether they like to think of themselves as that or not, that need to run like a business from beginning to end, or there will never be anything to pass on to that next generation.

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