OSU offers legal conference for attorneys working in agriculture
Contact:  Peggy Hall, 614.247.7898 

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Lawyers working with agriculture must cover a range of legal issues, and an upcoming legal conference hosted by OSU Extension and the Ohio State Bar Association aims to help them stay up-to-date on current legal developments. 

“Agricultural law is a complex area of law practice,” says Peggy Hall of OSU Extension’s Agricultural and Resource Law Program.  “Agricultural attorneys must understand laws ranging from crop insurance to labor regulations.  Keeping up with the many laws that affect agriculture is challenging and so important.” 

The fifth annual Ohio Agricultural Law Symposium will take place on Sunday and Monday, June 23 and 24, 2013 at Cherry Valley Lodge in Newark, Ohio.  Attorneys will receive Continuing Legal Education credit for attending the day-and-a half-long program. 

The focus of this year’s program is representing Ohio’s farm and agri-business clients.  Two nationally respected agricultural practitioners will teach for the Symposium.   Allen Olson from Albany, Georgia, who has farm clients throughout the southern states, will provide guidance on representing farmers in crop insurance disputes and will also share his outlook on federal farm bill policies.   Cari Rincker of Rincker Law Office in New York City, whose client base is spread around the country, will speak on protecting the farm client’s business by managing contracts, intellectual property and employment concerns. 

The program will also include Ohio legal experts on labor, trucking, food safety and estate and business planning.   Leah Curtis from Ohio Farm Bureau and Roxi Liming with Adams, Liming & Hockenberry, LLC in Columbus will use a case study approach to discuss advising farm clients on trucking and labor regulations.   Russell Cunningham and Jeff Easterday of Barrett, Easterday, Cunningham & Eselgroth, LLP will present on estate and business planning for farm clients and Ohio Department of Agriculture Deputy Director John Schlichter will provide an agency update.  OSU’s Hall will speak on advising clients on recent food safety regulations. 

New this year, the conference will begin on Sunday evening with a bonus 2.5 hour CLE session on Ethics, Professional Responsibility, and Substance Abuse.   During the bonus session on professionalism, Allen Olson and Cari Rincker will share strategies for developing and retaining farm and agri-business clients.  The Sunday session will conclude with a social reception. Also new this year, the Ohio State Bar Association Agricultural Law Committee will meet on Monday morning. 

Law students interested in attending the Symposium may apply for student scholarships provided by the Paul L. Wright Chair in Agricultural Law Endowment Fund at Ohio State.  Contact Peggy Hall at aglaw@osu.edu for scholarship information. 

The symposium is a partnership between OSU and the Ohio State Bar Association. For more information, visit https://www.ohiobar.org or contact Peggy Hall at aglaw@osu.edu.