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Alumni
From Farm to Firm: Cari Rincker '07 Paves Her Own Path in Agriculture and Family Law
From a cattle farm in Illinois to a law office in Manhattan, Cari Rincker ý07 has built a career at the intersection of agriculture, law, and advocacy. Founder of Rincker Law PLLC, a firm focused on food, agriculture, and family law, Cari has forged her own path as a lawyer, educator, author, and podcast hostýall while staying rooted in her rural beginnings and passionate about helping others navigate complex legal landscapes.
When Cari Rincker ý07 was young, she wanted to be a lawyer but did not know many lawyers or fully understand what they did. After obtaining degrees in Agriculture Science and Animal Science, Cari realized that a law degree would allow her to pursue her passion in these areas and help others. Once Cari decided to apply to law school, she knew that the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at ý was where she wanted to pursue her degree. ýPace Haub Law had the combination I was looking for ý its geography and excellent environmental law program were perfect for me. I will never forget, I was living in Rome, Italy at the time and volunteering with the Food & Agriculture Organization ý I cried with happiness when I got the news that I was accepted.ý
Cariýs time at the Law School was filled with passionate professors and interesting courses. ýMy biggest wake-up call was with Professor Ann Powers and the environmental skills course. It was there I learned how to really read, analyze, and understand statutes and corresponding regulations. I also loved my Land Use Law course with Professor John Nolon and oftentimes think of those concepts today. Surprisingly, though, my favorite class was tax law with Professor Bridget Crawford. She is an incredibly talented professor who uses fantastic examples to bring concepts to life and keep you interested.ý
In 2009, only two short years after graduating from law school with certificates in both environmental law and international law, Cari launched her own practice, Rincker Law PLLC, focused on food and agriculture law. ýMy passion for agriculture issues is deeply rooted. I grew up on a seedstock Simmental cattle operation in Shelbyville, Illinois where I worked on my familyýs farm. While I had degrees prior to law school in these areas, the education I received at Pace Haub Law really brought it all together for me. I was immersed in environmental law classes that were both challenging and enlightening, and gave me the confidence to continue pursuing a career in these specific areas of law.ýWhen she graduated from the Law School, Cari knew that she wanted to serve different segments of the food and agriculture industry, but she wanted to do it in New York City.
You have to jump. I know itýs scary and you have no clue if your wings will open or if you will tumble down the cliff. But at some point, you have to jump.
ýIn order to pursue these areas of law in New York City I needed to pave my own path and do it on my own, so that is what I did.ý On the risk of starting her own practice, Cari acknowledged the fears that often accompany it. ýYou have to jump. I know itýs scary and you have no clue if your wings will open or if you will tumble down the cliff. But at some point, you have to jump.ý Cari recalls the early days of launching her firm in a small studio apartment on the Upper East Side. To fund her dream, she did contract attorney work in New York until her law practice was self-sustaining. Cari also started taking on different types of cases, which included a divorce case, and then a few more divorce cases. Before she knew it, Cari had found an additional passion in family law. Eventually, Cari built her practice up case by case and client by client and moved her office to a space near Grand Central Station. Today, Rincker Law, PLLC is headquartered in Champaign, Illinois with two satellite offices in both Shelbyville and New York City. ýI grew up on a farm in Illinois, I attended graduate school in Illinois, and much of my family is in Illinois,ý shared Cari. ýTo eventually move the headquarters of my practice to Illinois made sense and fortunately, I am able to maintain my client base in New York City seamlessly with technology today.ý
Cari is also a trained mediator and passionate about alternative dispute resolution. ýI love it in so many ways, but mostly because it helps preserve family relationships. Mediation also helps people have their own autonomy over their own agreements that hopefully will stick.ý Cari also teaches mediation and agriculture and environmental law at the University of Illinois and an online course at Vermont Law School. ýI love reaching that moment in the semester where you can tell itýs all clicking.ý
Not one to slow down, Cari is also a published author. ýI believe that one of the best ways you can be a good lawyer and stay abreast of all the constantly evolving laws and regulations is to read, research, and write.ý Cari has authored four books and manages an award-winning Food, Farm and Family law blog. ýBeing a resource to the community is of paramount importance to me and my law practice.ý
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In the last few years, Cari has also added podcasting to her resume, launching The Billable Mom in 2024, where she talks about working motherhood, with a focus on lawyers and other professionals. ýAs a working mom of two, the impetus for this podcast was very personal. I wanted to speak candidly about working motherhood and the struggles to juggle it all.ý In her podcast, Cari and her guests explore time management tips, productivity hacks, and delve into a variety of issues including maternity leave, making time for yourself, and more. ýBalancing a career and the demands of motherhood can feel overwhelming. I wanted to provide a platform to share that we are not alone in our struggles, while also providing practical tips and advice to help navigate it.ý
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