When John Boyd, President of the National Black Farmers’ Association, sees Eric Sanchez, he greets him with a booming, “Maestro!”
John and Eric worked closely for several years to seek justice for black farmers in what is now known as In re Black Farmers Discrimination Litigation, Case No. 08-mc-0511 (PLF) (D.D.C.) colloquially known as Pigford II.
In addition to overseeing client outreach, legislative, and administrative operations on this case, Eric served as class counsel’s point person for many issues including data analysis, technology, and client communication. His work was specifically cited in the Court’s opinion, which resulted in a settlement of $1.25 billion and a maximum fee award of nearly $100 million – most importantly, more than $1 billion went directly to farmers.
Eric orchestrated much of the messaging, public and private, used to highlight the plight of the black farmers. A natural problem solver, Eric used his unique blend of creativity and analytical mind to design and execute some of the most remarkable public relations activities in support of mass litigation to date. One of the most memorable and prominent attention-grabbing events was John Boyd’s legendary tractor rides through Washington, D.C., which was covered by every major media outlet. The tractor rides are widely credited with getting the appropriations over the finish line.
Years later, when presenting Eric with an award for his work on the case, John had this to say:
“Sometimes a team needs a quarterback and needs somebody on the sideline that even whispered the play or what the right situation may be. And for years, I used a mule…to highlight what was going on with the black farmers and with the late filers’ piece, we rode our trusty tractor, “Justice,” for a few months in Washington D.C. And to be all honest and truthful, the idea was Eric’s idea about the tractor…those are the kinds of things that went on behind the scenes…”
Eric’s ability to truly see and understand the issues, coupled with his blend of problem-solving and strategic thinking, makes him an ideal partner for addressing complex and sometimes delicate issues that arise.
