2023 Trusted Advisers: Ryan DeBoef

Ryan DeBoef started the year with a career shift.

DeBoef, who previously served as Missouri State University’s chief of staff for nearly a decade and its legal counsel three years prior, in January was named a partner at a government relations firm. With him on board, the Jefferson City firm became known as Hahn DeBoef LLC, dba Hahn | DeBoef Government Relations.

Since then, his annual billings have totaled around $400,000, with 18 clients managed.

“My practice is visionary. I advise businesses on how to change the law or bring the government along as a partner in their operations,” DeBoef says.

He says much of his professional time now is spent in Jefferson City, working with elected and nonelected government officials alike on helping his clients make changes to laws.

“Most attorneys spend their time in the courtroom or advising clients on strategies and responses to various risks. Most attorneys are limited by the letter of the law in the work they do. I am not so limited,” DeBoef says.

His lobbying client list includes former employer MSU, as well as organizations such as Jordan Valley Community Health Center, the city of Marshfield and The Doula Foundation. He also represents nationwide clients, including Whataburger, the Missouri Solar Energy Industries Association and the Missouri Restaurant Association.

“Many of the successes I have been part of involve securing government funding for particular projects or operations,” he says.

Examples include more than $100 million in appropriations for Blunt Hall at MSU, as well as the largest core funding increase for the university in the school’s history; $5 million for a key sewer project in Marshfield; and some $2 million to expand treatment for substance use disorders at Jordan Valley Community Health Center.

“I work with clients to change the law or oppose proposed changes to the law. My practice focuses on the executive and legislative branches of government,” DeBoef says. “Some Springfield attorneys do this work as a small part of their practice, but it is my primary practice and I have a strong record of success in this work. This makes my practice very unique.”

Relationship building is key, he says.

“I have found that relationships are the best resource to stay on top of political, legislative and regulatory trends and developments – the freshest intelligence comes from conversations with people,” he says. “However, I supplement my relationships with subscription-based, proprietary legislative tracking software, as well as an embarrassingly long list of local, state and national newspapers, blogs and email updates that I spend over an hour reading each morning.”

DeBoef takes his civic work just as seriously.

Throughout his career, he says he’s been actively engaged with the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, serving as a committee leader in government relations and legislative policy. He has served on the advisory board for The Network, and he’s involved with Leadership Springfield.

A former board member for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, DeBoef’s association work has included the Missouri Bar and the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association.