Lance W. Lange

Outside Counsel to Trade Associations and Checkoff Organizations

Lance has served as lead outside counsel for a number of national and state agricultural trade associations. In this role, he provides full-service legal advice to meet the specialized needs of trade association professionals and their board members. With a background in antitrust litigation and counseling, Lance is able to steer his trade association clients clear of the most serious threats to their organizations, so that they can focus on serving their members and their industries in a pro-competitive and effective way. In addition to antitrust counseling and monitoring activities, Lance also provides his trade association clients with concierge-level service to meet their needs with regard to corporate governance, contract review and strategy, standard-setting programs, information-sharing programs, data security and privacy, taxation matters, intellectual property, employment and HR matters, and litigation, including amicus briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court. Lance also has extensive experience representing federal checkoff organizations and other quasi-governmental organizations.

Antitrust and FCPA Litigation and Counseling

With the goal of avoiding litigation, Lance counsels business and trade associations on antitrust matters, including litigation before the Federal Trade Commission and state and federal courts. He was a member of the core trial team in one of the first consummated merger cases before the Federal Trade Commission since the early 1980s, and continues to litigate complex antitrust cases. He prepares and implements antitrust compliance programs for clients and provides comprehensive advice on standard-setting programs, information-sharing programs and training programs. Lance has also defended individuals in Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations before the SEC and DOJ.

Financial and Consumer Lending Litigation

Lance is the former co-chair of the firm’s national consumer financial litigation team. He represents Fortune 500 financial institutions in litigation ranging from class actions to loan repurchasing disputes. Lance has managed and litigated lawsuits for leading financial institutions in more than 35 states, including claims under TCPA, RESPA, TILA, FDCPA, and various other state and federal laws. He also represents creditors in disputes that arise in bankruptcy proceedings and in complex commercial foreclosures.

Food and Beverage Litigation and Counseling

A core member of the firm’s nationally recognized food litigation and regulatory practice, Lance provides strategic counsel during post-recall litigation in state and federal courts nationwide and advises food industry clients on risk management and compliance to avoid litigation. From 2018 to 2022, Lance served as the lead trial lawyer in a large multistate foodborne illness outbreak involving 97 lawsuits and pre-litigation claims — which resulted in no adverse judgments.

Lance also helps alcoholic beverage companies in meeting their needs for regulatory compliance (state and TTB), licensing, corporate governance, litigation and government relations.

Intellectual Property and First Amendment Litigation

Lance has represented businesses in lawsuits implicating trade and patent rights. He has also represented individuals and corporations in litigating defamation disputes and claims under the Freedom of Information Act and state open records statutes.

Personal Interests

In his free time, Lance enjoys spending time with his wife, Michelle, and children, Kelsey and Maddox.