2015 Trusted Advisers Up-and-Comer: Cameron Jones

Cameron Jones found his dream job on day one. A college internship with R. Clancy Parks, Attorney at Law led to a full-time attorney position in 2011, and in January 2014, Jones became a partner with his name on the door.

Now, growth is the name of the game at Parks & Jones, Attorneys at Law.

“My joining the firm … enabled us to expand services into the areas of elder law as well as implement our annual maintenance program,” he says.

In three years, revenue from elder law accounts for roughly 50 percent of the firm’s billing. Since 2011, the firm has increased revenue each year and snowballed clients by 30 percent annually.

Last year, Jones brought on 200 new clients to his management of 3,000 existing clients. Staff is also up to eight employees, from just three.

“My goal is to continue to grow my reputation, both in southwest Missouri and nationwide as one of the foremost experts in the areas of estate planning, elder law and practice development,” he says.

The firm, which currently has offices in Springfield and Branson, is in discussions with three Texas attorneys to open an estate planning and elder law firm in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Parks & Jones is expanding locally as well. Jones is in the process of purchasing new office space, moving to 5,500 square feet from around 2,500 square feet.

Jones’ ambition doesn’t stop. He already has an agreement in place with Clancy Parks to buy the practice in 2018, at which point Parks would stay on for another 10 years.

“All the numbers and growth aside, I love what I do,” he says. “I get to make tangible as well as intangible differences in our clients’ lives every single day.”

Jones also helped institute the firm’s annual maintenance program, in which clients are kept apprised on law changes, asset changes and circumstance changes on an annual basis.

“We create documents, but more importantly, we engage in a life-long relationship with our clients,” Jones says. “This relationship focus is real and is transforming the way estate planning is done in the Ozarks.”

Jones is spreading that relationship-centric message and his knowledge to the public through more than 30 seminars since joining the firm. He also is a member of the local and statewide WealthCounsel and ElderCounsel.

“I have access to a membership community of more than 2,500 professionals who are leading their estate planning practices to new levels of excellence,” he says.

Among his professional memberships, Jones also counts the Missouri and national chapters for the Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.

Outside the office, Jones is a board member for the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Missouri Chapter and is actively involved with his church, Central Assembly of God.

“The most rewarding moments for me are when a client hugs me and tells me thank you for taking care of us,” he says. “This is why I got into the area of law and why we will always put relationships first.”