James Ballard, J.D.
Vice President, Private Client Advisor
James is a vice president and a private client advisor with Commerce Trust. He serves as a senior consultant and relationship manager providing clients with personalized objective advice and oversight across all of our services, including trust administration, financial advisory services, private banking, and investment management. James facilitates all aspects of relationship management for the client team, including administering complex trusts, maintaining client communication, and coordinating with internal and external partners to deliver a superior client experience.
James joined Commerce Trust in 2020 with more than 10 years of financial and estate planning experience. Before joining Commerce, he practiced law in Columbia, Missouri, and most recently in the Springfield area. His practice concentrated on estate planning, probate, and trust administration.
James earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a focus in finance from Missouri Southern State University, a Juris Doctor from University of Missouri–Kansas City, and a Master in Laws (LL.M.) with an emphasis in elder law from Stetson University College of Law.
James is currently a member of the Greene County Estate Planning Counsel and Springfield Sunrise Rotary. He’s a graduate of Leadership Springfield class 42, a mentor for the SAAB/Commerce Bank mentorship program, and board chair for the Summit Preparatory School of Springfield.
Start a conversation with James
417-837-5263 james.ballard@commercebank.com Connect on LinkedIn
