Name:  Cari Rincker

Home State: Illinois

Your Job Title and Employer: Principal Attorney, Rincker Law, PLLC

What do you do on a typical day at work? The exciting thing about being an attorney is that no two days are the same.  One day I might have a court appearance in the morning and the next day I might be at a real estate closing or executing a will.  A large part of being an attorney is doing legal research and writing so I spend many days reading statutes, regulations, and court cases and forming legal arguments.  Since I am a business owner, I also spend a lot of my time on marketing through my agriculture law blog and other types of social media, writing articles for livestock publications, preparing for speaking events, and good ol’ fashioned networking. 

What is your favorite thing about your job? As the old saying goes, the more I know, the more I realize that I do not know.  That is what I love most about being an attorney—it requires me to be a lifetime learner.  The people that I admire most professionally in the cattle industry are much the same way.  I also love that I can be an advocate for those involved in agriculture.  I went to law school because I wanted to help preserve the livelihoods of livestock producers. 

Do you get to travel a lot, or mostly spend time in an office? Which do you prefer? A little of both.  Rincker Law, PLLC is a national agriculture law firm based in New York City.  Most of my clients do not live in the city so my job requires a reasonable amount of travel.  I love going around the country meeting cattle folks and learning about their operation.  I also enjoy where I live and work here on the Upper East Side which has turned into my own “small town” here in NYC.  There is an interesting dynamic here in the Northeast between urban and rural America.  It provides unique opportunities to be an advocate for agriculture around people here in NYC that know very little about the industry.    

How did you get interested in this career? If you talk to my grandmother, she will tell you that I always wanted to be an attorney.  But the truth of the matter is that it took me a while to get to this point.  I grew up on a seedstock Simmental cattle operation and have been around the livestock industry my entire life.  I knew that I had a lot of passion for the beef business and other sectors of the agriculture industry and decided to pursue a degree in animal science.  Though I had always been interested in agriculture law, I knew very little about this profession.  While I was at Texas A & M University, I was selected to participate in its Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Internship Program where I worked for Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX) on Capitol Hill.  That summer, I was saturated in law and policy and that was really the turning point for me.  I had already accepted a graduate assistantship at the University of Illinois to study ruminant nutrition but my heart was really in agriculture law.  So while I was completing my masters, I studied for the LSAT and applied to law school.  Never looked back.

What was your college major, and do you think that degree was crucial in helping you get to the career you are at right now? I went to Lake Land College in Mattoon, Illinois (near my hometown) to receive my A.S. in Agriculture and then transferred to Texas A & M University in College Station, Texas for my B.S. in Animal Science.  I was on the livestock judging teams at both schools and as I noted above, I received my M.S. in Beef Cattle Nutrition from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.  I subsequently went to law school at Pace University in White Plains, New York.   

Were these degrees “crucial” to getting me where I am today working as an agriculture attorney?  No, but those degrees are forever a part of my pedigree and the education that I received at those schools has been invaluable.  As opposed to medical or business school, law school does not require candidates to have certain undergraduate courses.  Folks from all educational backgrounds and experiences make up the legal profession.  However, there is no question that my education has helped shape my views and understanding on the agriculture industry and the beef business.  It is important to have a strong grasp on a particular industry in order to fully understand the legal implications affecting that industry.  My masters degree gave me the skills to understand scientific studies which has helped me immensely in my legal career.  Furthermore, my participating in livestock judging sharpened my communication and argument skills which are paramount for my profession.  There is no one path to get where I am right now.  

What advice would you have for someone who is searching for a college and trying to choose a degree? If you are in high school, I encourage you to look at your local community college that offers agriculture degrees.  I know for me, I felt that I received a great education at Lake Land College and was able to develop relationships with my teachers.  I don’t think I would have been ready to move 1000 miles from home at 18 years of age, but two years later I was mature enough to make that leap.  I am partial to Lake Land College since my father has been an instructor there for nearly my entire life but there are several high quality junior colleges with agriculture programs scattered around the country.  If you are interested in livestock judging, don’t pick a school simply based on the judging program.  Pick the school with the complete package that is best for you. 

From a senior college standpoint, there are a handful of tremendous agriculture schools I this country.  Even though it is in my blood to support junior college programs, attending a four-year university right out of high school offers several advantages as well.  I encourage folks to visit as many schools as you can to get an accurate feel for the university and academic programs.  I still remember my mother taking 5 girls from Lake Land on a roadtrip to Stillwater, Oklahoma so I could visit Oklahoma State University.  In the end, Texas A & M captured my heart so I headed to Aggieland.   Scholarships, tuition, and academic programs should all be important factors to consider. 

I also encourage students to participate in study abroad programs as international experiences enrich your life while making your more marketable in the our global agriculture industry.   Additionally, my biggest regret is not learning a foreign language.  If you have an opportunity to concentrate in a second language during school, you will find it to be incredibly useful in your career.        

If you were hiring an employee, what are the top three skills you look for and why? Even though I have been blessed with talent and ability, I contribute all of my successes to hard work.  Growing up on a farm, my work ethic is deeply instilled.  I know many brilliant people who never reach their full potential because they don’t know how to work hard.  If I am slammed on a project, I want a person who knows how to dig-in and go the extra mile to get the job done. 

I also want to hire genuinely kind, respectful people who are good with working with others.  The attitude and personal skills of employees reflects on the employer.  I think that some people today forget that as an employee you are never really “off duty” because you represent the brand of your employer every day of the week.  The best advice that I have ever received was that it takes a lifetime to build a good reputation but only a moment to lose it—I never forgot that.    

Finally, a good employee for Rincker Law, PLLC would be a team player.  This attribute is critical for office dynamics and company success.     

Does someone’s college GPA have a big factor in whether you would hire them? Yes and no.  GPA certainly doesn’t tell a complete story about a candidate but it is a factor.  I know some brilliant people that received very average (or below average) marks in school.  This could be contributed to life circumstances beyond a person’s control.  But to a certain extent, GPA does illustrate a level of capability, responsibility, and dedication.  If a candidate has a lower GPA, he/she should try to illustrate that he/she possesses the ability to get the job done.  Employers are typically looking for the complete package so don’t be discouraged if you have poor undergraduate grades.  

If you could have any other dream job besides the one you have now, what would it be? I would own a SimAngus ranch in Montana. . . and who knows, I might just have an opportunity one day if I am really lucky.  Alternatively, I would love to just travel the world with my camera and be a professional photographer.    

Who is someone you admire professionally and why? I admire Drs. Jerry Lipsey (American Simmental Association) and Chris Skaggs (Texas A & M University) tremendously.  Each of them are brilliant and incredibly knowledgeable about the beef industry but more importantly, they each understand that the agriculture industry is really about people.  In particular, I always admired Dr. Lipsey for his leadership ability and understanding of the breadth of the cattle industry.  The best leaders I know don’t demand respect; instead, they lead by example.  Drs. Lipsey and Skaggs both lead by example.      

Have you had any mentors who have helped you in your career? If so, who? Do you think mentors are important? My parents have had the biggest influence on my career and I take their advice to heart.  The older I get, the more I respect and admire how much my parents have accomplished.  During my education, I always had certain instructors that I looked up to and got to know outside of the classroom.  In particular, Dr. Larry Berger, my graduate advisor at the University of Illinois, gave me a lot of guidance and direction.  His son is an attorney and understood my desire to be an agriculture attorney instead of an animal scientist.  Additionally, Karen Budd-Falen from Budd Falen Law Offices, LLC in Cheyenne, Wyoming was a great mentor to me as well.  She is a brilliant, female agriculture attorney.       

Who’s the person you go to “bounce ideas around with”? My parents are actually a huge part of my life.  My mom owns a business and my dad is a great leader and educator in the agriculture industry.  I respect their viewpoints tremendously.  In the legal community, I have some great law school friends from Regent University (where I did my first year) and other attorneys here in NYC that have been great to bounce ideas off.  Erin Morrow, an ex-judging teammate, is also a big part of my life.  We both share a love for livestock and the law.

Is your job directly involved in agriculture? If not, how do you still get your “fix” of still being involved in the agriculture industry? I am an agriculture attorney so I work with folks involved in this industry all the time.  Even though I live in New York City, I enjoy making trips to livestock shows and agriculture conferences.  For example, I will be attending the National Western Stock Show and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (“NCBA”) annual convention in San Antonio this January. 

What are your thoughts about young people’s profiles and photos being on facebook/myspace while trying to find a job? Social media is more accepted now in the professional arena.  I would keep your profiles on private and make sure there are no photographs with you drinking available to the public.  As I am adding more professional contacts to my own Facebook profile, I am deleting some personal photo albums.  Twitter is another great marketing and networking tool if used wisely.  Keep your tweets professional in nature.  Another word of caution with social media-- remember that your contemporaries in school might very well be your respected colleagues one day and so always conduct yourself with class and maturity.  

Which of these would you rather be? The judge of the Denver steer show, the breeder of the Grand Champion Steer, the exhibitor of the Grand Champion Steer, or the person who fit the Grand Champion Steer? Why? Definitely the judge!  There is nothing better than being in the showring and sorting some great fuzzy show steers!

Did you grow up showing livestock? If so, what? I grew up on a seedstock Simmental cow-calf operation in Central Illinois and showed cattle on the state and national levels.  I was particularly involved with the American Junior Simmental Association (“AJSA”).  My showing career was definitely a huge part of my life and I made lifelong friends through my experiences. 

Favorite Stock Show: National Western Stock Show

Why? It’s where the show industry meets the commercial industry.  I absolutely love being in The Yards.  It represents so much history of the beef business.  Colorado is also beautiful – I love being close to the mountains. 

You just won a free dinner at the best steakhouse in town and you get to invite 3 other people from the stock shows. Who would you take and why? Good question.  Jimmy and Cheryl Lithicum have always inspired me and I would love to get to know the father-daughter pair in person.  They judge together and Cheryl gives reasons for her father, who has a speech disability.  As a female livestock judge, I always looked up to Cheryl as a talented female on the microphone during cattle shows.  We need more female livestock judges out there in the spotlight.  Also, I judge shows with my own father sometimes so I can relate to this interesting dynamic (and perhaps a subtle disagreement every now and again).  Jimmy is quite impressive in his own right because he doesn’t let any speech impairment limit his ability to be a successful cattleman.  I believe Jimmy's son occasionally gives reasons for him as well.  It would be great to take all three of the Lithicums out for some beef and learn more about them.