James Lance

James Lance likes to compare his stints as a college athlete to his successful legal career.

A football and rugby player while an undergrad at Missouri State University, Lance, now a partner at Kirby Noonan Lance & Hoge LLP, says it's the teamwork and the adrenaline buzz of competition that initially drew him to the practice of law.

“There is a lot less paperwork involved in playing sports,” he laughed. “But there are similarities between trial work and athletics. Both require preparation, teamwork and the excitement that comes with competition.” In addition, he said, like sports, trial work has a very simple measure of success or failure. “The jury verdict is essentially the final score.”