Focused on Ag and Law: Runyon Serving as Janzen Schroeder Summer Law Clerk

“¿Por qué no los dos?” This Spanish phrase meaning “why not both?” describes NaRayah Runyon’s interest in agricultural law. The Arizonan who is serving as the Janzen Schroeder Law Clerk this summer cites a pivotal moment in her youth when she realized she could pursue a career in both agriculture and law.

“I was building appreciation for agriculture as an FFA member and State Officer who didn’t grow up on a farm,” she says. “During a trip to Washington DC in high school, I saw the connection between rural communities and involvement in policy work,” she recalls. A little more homework helped her realize that there are ag-focused attorneys, and her path was set.

A graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree in Agricultural Technology Management and Education, Runyon is entering her third year of law school at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. This institution has an Agricultural Law Center, and she currently serves as the research editor of the Drake Journal of Agricultural Law.

Runyon rode into Indianapolis to her summer law clerk job on a motorcycle and will head back West when summer ends with a renewed appreciation of what the practice of ag law looks like in the real world.

“I’ve been able to work on a variety of ag law projects, including trial prep, which has shown me how much our work intersects with top issues of the day,” she says. Runyon cites the high profile arena of data privacy and artificial intelligence as also being top of mind for agriculture.

“AI is driven by data, and the algorithms are only as powerful as the data being accessed.” She emphasized modern farming practices collect and utilize unprecedented amounts of data with information on moisture, soil and yields being just several examples. “The legal aspects of data management are very interesting,” Runyon observes.

Runyon’s passion for agriculture mirrors that of our firm. “Agriculture is cutting edge and sitting at the intersection of topics important to society such as climate change and food security,” she says.

We agree, NaRayah!