May 11, 2026
Contact: Cary Littlejohn, carylittlejohn@missouri.edu
Photos courtesy of Bryce Rone
Bryce Rone is a self-described homebody. He minces no words: His place is back in the Bootheel, in his hometown of Portageville, Missouri.
There were things he couldn’t find there, though, namely an education from the University of Missouri, the same institution that educated both of his parents, as well as his sister.
“I’m proud to be from Missouri, and I’m passionate about Mizzou being a land-grant university,” Rone said. “I wanted to graduate from Mizzou.”
This week, Rone will graduate from Mizzou’s School of Law, to which he came with a single-minded goal: return to rural Missouri equipped not only to practice law but to revitalize the place he’s proud to call home.
The road less traveled
Knowing what he wanted didn’t exactly mean that he knew what to expect when it came to practicing law, Rone said. He didn’t come from a family of attorneys, so Mizzou Law provided much-needed direction.
“Coming into law school, I didn't know there was a difference between transactional work and litigation,” Rone said. “I didn't even know that people distinguish the two.”
He initially imagined a small-town legal practice would center on what lawyers call transactional work — helping people negotiate deals rather than arguing cases in court.
“I thought that, in a solo practice, I would be doing a lot of land disagreements between farmers,” he said. “Deeds, wills and transactions where people buy and sell land. Survey issues. Contract issues. That’s what I expected.”
But now that Rone’s accepted a position with Missouri Department of Transportation’s southeast regional office, he’s leaning into the fact that his work will include a mix of behind-the-scenes transactions and a bit of litigation when disputes about land, contracts or claims arise.
“I think maybe this past year I've shifted more to where I am excited about the prospect of litigation,” Rone said. “And I think that's partly because it's an area that I know I need to work on, because when I do eventually set up my own shop, I'll have to do both.”
His time at MoDOT will prepare him for his long-term goal to open his own law firm in southeast Missouri.
“There’s a shortage of rural attorneys, and rural economies are suffering,” he said. “I want to try to put some sort of spark back into my community.”
Rone credits Mizzou Law for supporting his dream, especially when it wasn’t the most common career goal.
“I think that Mizzou Law recognizes that there is a shortage and wants to help rural attorneys,” he said. “It’s been helpful to me for Mizzou to fortify the idea that this is what I want to do.”
Perhaps it’s no surprise that Rone would have his sights set on starting his own business. He already has two — a sports trading-card business and a turf management company that he runs with his father — and Mizzou Law was a welcome place for such business-minded pursuits.
He found one of his most valuable experiences to be the work he did for the Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic, one of Mizzou Law’s four hands-on, client-serving experiences. He worked closely with others who were starting businesses and executing contracts, and the work provided him with a skill set that he can take back to his own businesses.
“I’ve probably taken away more from the reasoning and analytical skills than the legal doctrine,” he said. “Those are the two most impactful things I’ve learned. They’re so valuable for business and everyday life in general.”
Life is a highway
Rone possesses a quiet certainty in the path he’s chosen. He’s engaged to his high-school sweetheart, and he’s in the process of building a house back in Portageville. He knew he was leaving home to gather knowledge and skills he would bring back to make a difference.
Along the way, though, he experienced a sense of self-discovery that can only be attributed to his fellow classmates.
“When you’re in a cohort with 120 people, it doesn’t matter who you are,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what your family does. Everyone is equal. Your idea matters as much as the person next to you. I think that’s been both uplifting and humbling. It’s been so beneficial to get to experience that and better understand myself — what I actually think and how I feel — and also to hear other perspectives.”
No matter what Rone encounters on the road ahead, he’s confident that Mizzou Law has prepared him to face it all. Just as it will prepare those who follow from small communities all over the state.
“That’s my pitch to anybody who’s from a rural area who goes on and becomes a professional: Take it home,” he said. “It may not be the easiest route, but I think in many ways it will be more fulfilling.”
