Gary L. Collins is a long time Springfield resident. His family owns a local restaurant that is a staple of the community. He is a graduate of Kickapoo High School. He studied Political Science and International Relations at Missouri State University, graduating in 1997.
After college, he contemplated a master's degree in international relations but ultimately was called to his passion for law. He attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Law, where he graduated near the top of his class, earning various awards in Property Law. He was an editorial member of the Urban Law Journal.
After graduation he worked at the Missouri Public Defender's office, where he was able to try multiple cases from misdemeanor charges all the way up to more serious felonies. He eventually moved to private practice where he concentrated on representing individuals in a wide variety of practice areas including family law, civil law, criminal defense, and juvenile law.
