“ The Farmer ’ s Lawyer :” Vogel shares landmark case in new book
By Kylie Blanchard , Clearwater Communications
When Sarah Vogel set out to pursue a career as a lawyer , she didn ’ t anticipate spending much , if any , time in a courtroom , let alone filing a national class action lawsuit that would change the way farm foreclosures were addressed and that would alter the trajectory of her career .
From 1983 to 1985 , Vogel was the lead counsel in the landmark Coleman v . Block case , which fought to save the livelihoods of thousands of family farms hit by the 1980s farm crisis . While this case launched her career as a successful attorney and advocate in the decades to come , Vogel has now added book author to her list of attributes .
Her newly released memoir , “ The Farmer ’ s Lawyer : The North Dakota Nine and the Fight to Save the Family Farm ,” chronicles the daunting legal battle she faced as a young lawyer fighting to save family farmers across the nation . From this David vs . Goliath experience , Vogel grew into one of the nation ’ s foremost agriculture lawyers , an advocate for family farms , women , and Native Americans , and now an author telling the story of the plight of family farmers .
Choosing a Career in Law
Vogel grew up in North Dakota , living in Garrison , Fargo , and Mandan as her father , Robert Vogel , pursued his law career as a private practice attorney , U . S . Attorney , and justice on the North Dakota Supreme Court . “ My father was my inspiration for becoming a lawyer , but I always make a joke , saying , ‘ He made law look easy .’ I used to accuse him of having misled me ,” Vogel laughs .
She attended college at the University of North Dakota and graduated from New York University School of Law in 1970 . “ When I went to law school , I believed I would become a ‘ backroom lawyer ’ lawyer , not a trial lawyer . I started doing civil rights and consumer protection law right out of law school .”
While still living on the East Coast , she served as head of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act ( ECOA ) Enforcement Program at the Federal Trade Commission . “ We were really shocked to see the Farmers Home Administration ( FmHA ) had the most discrimination complaints , especially because FmHA was part of the United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA ),” she notes .
While those ECOA complaints were about residential loans ,
Photo by Lea Black
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