About | Kirk Stange at Stange Law Firm

Kirk Stange - Stange Law Firm - Family Law Attorney

When individuals face divorce or other family law disputes, they need counsel who combines experience with sound judgment and practical guidance. Kirk C. Stange provides thoughtful advocacy and clear direction to clients navigating complex and emotionally charged family law matters. He is known for offering straightforward advice, careful preparation, and steady representation throughout every stage of a case.

Kirk devotes his legal practice exclusively to family law. He represents clients in divorce matters, child custody and parenting time disputes, child support and maintenance issues, paternity cases, and post-judgment modifications. In addition to litigation, Kirk is trained in mediation and collaborative law, allowing him to assist clients in pursuing alternative dispute resolution when appropriate. He is also trained as a guardian ad litem, giving him additional insight into cases involving children and family dynamics.

Kirk founded Stange Law Firm, PC in 2007 and has played a central role in the firm’s growth and leadership since that time. While remaining actively involved in client representation, he continues to guide the firm’s professional standards and commitment to family law advocacy.

A significant part of Kirk’s professional work involves educating other attorneys and members of the judiciary. He is a frequent continuing legal education speaker for organizations such as the Missouri Bar, myLawCLE, the National Business Institute, and other professional groups. His presentations address a range of family law topics, including litigation strategy, ethics, and emerging issues. In 2014, Kirk presented at the Eighth Circuit Judicial Conference in Omaha, Nebraska, on the use of social media evidence for lawyers and judges.

In recognition of his contributions to attorney education, Kirk was honored by the Missouri Bar in 2017 for his substantial involvement in continuing legal education programs. He has served as a recurring speaker for MoBarCLE’s Annual Law Update and has presented at programs such as the Annual Family Law Conference, CLE by the Sea, Family Law Essentials, and How to Build and Manage Firm Success seminars. Kirk has also served as a mentor through the Missouri Bar Mentoring Program.

Kirk remains actively involved in professional and academic leadership. He is a member of the Law Society at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and serves as an adjunct professor at Emory University School of Law, where he teaches as a trial school instructor in the Kessler-Eidson Program for Trial Techniques. He is also the President of the Missouri Collaborative Institute, a professional organization dedicated to promoting collaborative practice as an alternative approach to resolving divorce and family law disputes.

Kirk graduated from Eureka High School before earning his Bachelor of Arts in History from Fontbonne University. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law, where he was selected as one of ten graduates inducted into the Order of the Barristers for courtroom advocacy. On the July 2000 Missouri Bar Examination, Kirk scored in the top ten percent of all examinees. He later completed advanced training through the ABA Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute. Kirk is licensed to practice law in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

Kirk’s work has been consistently recognized within the legal profession. His honors include repeated selection to Super Lawyers – Missouri & Kansas for Family Law (2015–present), selection as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2013 and 2014, inclusion on Missouri Lawyers Weekly’s POWER List Top 30 for Family Law since 2020, selection to the Missouri Lawyers Weekly Top 100 Power List in 2025, and receipt of the Missouri Lawyers Weekly Law Firm Leader Award in 2026.

In addition to his speaking engagements, Kirk is a published legal author. He authored a chapter in the 2012 Thomson Reuters (Aspatore Publishing) book Strategies for Military Family Law, solely authored the 2014 Thomson Reuters book Prenuptial Agreements Line by Line, and authored a chapter in the 2015 Aspatore publication Strategies for Illinois Family Law. In 2019, Kirk co-authored chapters in Missouri Family Law (7th ed.) published by the Missouri Bar, including updates addressing adult and child protection orders and the rights of unwed parents. He later co-authored updated deskbook chapters in 2022 and 2025 on child abuse issues and protection orders in domestic cases.

Kirk’s legal writing has also received national recognition. In 2025, he was named the #2 author for family law in JD Supra’s Readers’ Choice Awards. He has received this distinction since 2023 and is also a contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine.

Outside of his legal practice, Kirk is actively involved in community service and nonprofit leadership. He has received the Making a Difference Award and the Golden Plate Award from Old Newsboys and has served in leadership and advisory roles for numerous organizations, including Maryville University, Kids Rock Cancer, and the Mid-County YMCA. He also served as President of The National Advocates in 2023 and currently serves on the Membership Committee at Legends Country Club in Eureka, Missouri.

When not working, Kirk enjoys spending time with his two children. He is a member of Journey Church and enjoys boating, indoor soccer, following St. Louis sports teams, and listening to Americana music. He also plays several musical instruments, including bass guitar, violin, drums, and guitar, and previously performed in local bands.

Please note: Mr. Stange accepts only a limited number of cases. When he does accept new matters, they are generally limited to cases in and around the St. Louis, Missouri area. Other attorneys at Stange Law Firm, PC continue to accept new cases in the firm’s other locations.

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Published Works

Strategies for Military Family Law: Leading Lawyers on Navigating Family Law in the Armed Forces (Inside the Minds), Thomson Reuters (Aspatore Publishing), 2012
Prenuptial Agreements Line by Line, Thomson Reuters (Aspatore Publishing), 2014
Strategies for Family Law in Illinois: Leading Lawyers on Leveraging Alternative Dispute Resolution, Negotiating Alimony and Child Support, and Managing Client Expectations (Inside the Minds), Thomson Reuters (Aspatore Publishing), 2015
Cumulative Supplement to Chapter 13 “Adult Protection Orders and Child Protection Orders” – Missouri Family Law (7th ed.) published by The Missouri Bar, 2019
Cumulative Supplement to Chapter 29 “Rights of the Unwed” – Missouri Family Law (7th ed.) published by The Missouri Bar, 2019
Is It Legal Too…A Missouri Bar Podcast titled: “Love and Marriage.”
Co-Authored Chapter 10 “Adult Protection Orders, Child Protection Orders, and Child Abuse in the Domestic Case”, Missouri Family Law 8th Edition Deskbook, 2025

Representative Cases

Classes/Seminars

Advanced Divorce Law, National Business Institute (11/10/25)
Missouri Family Law From A to Z, National Business Institute (06/25/25)
Missouri Bar Annual Law Update on Family Law (2025)
Calculating Imputed Income in Divorce Proceedings, Strafford (02/25/25)
Advanced Divorce Law, National Business Institute (11/11/24)
Litigating Parental Alienation Claims, Strafford Publications (07/29/2024)
Missouri Bar Annual Law Update on Family Law (2024)
Missouri Bar Annual Law Update on Family Law (2023)
Missouri Bar Annual Law Update on Family Law (2022)
Social Media Evidence in Divorce, National Business Institute (02/08/22)
Advanced Divorce Law, National Business Institute (01/31/22)
Divorce and Trusts: Discovering, Classifying, and Dividing Interests in Trusts, Strafford Publications (01/11/22)
Deposition Strategies in Divorce, National Business Institute (12/02/21)
Missouri Bar Annual Law Update on Family Law (2021)
Advanced Divorce Law, National Business Institute (03/09/21)
Electronic Evidence 101, myLawCLE (02/24/21)
Strategically handling Parental Alienation in Custody Cases, National Business Institute (11/19/20)
Divorce Litigation From Start to Finish, National Business Institute (11/02/20)
Trial of a Divorce Case, National Business Institute (10/09/20)
Dividing Stock Options in Divorce, National Business Institute (09/15/20)
What’s love got to do with it? Tips for Advising the Distraught Divorce Client, National Business Institute (09/02/20)
Divorce Discovery: What to Ask For, National Business Institute (08/10/20)
Family Law From A to Z, National Business Institute (06/24/20)
2020 Annual Law Update, St. Charles, The Missouri Bar, Family Law Section (06/19/20)
2020 Annual Law Update, St. Louis (Chesterfield), The Missouri Bar, Family Law Section (05/28/20)
Dirty Litigation Tactics: How to Deal with the “Rambo” Litigator, National Business Institute (05/21/20)
Pre-nup Agreements: Avoiding the Top Mistakes, National Business Institute (05/12/20)
Adding Video-Conference Technology Into Your Law Practice, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (04/20/20)
Divorce Attorney’s Guide to Taxes, National Business Institute (04/08/20)
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email and Smartphone Evidence: The Ultimate Guide, National Business Institute (02/27/2020-02/28/2020)
E-mail & Text Message Evidence in Divorce & Family Litigation, MOBarCLE (08/02/19)
2019 Annual Law Update St. Charles, The Missouri Bar, Family Law Section (06/14/19)
Top Challenges in Family Law, National Business Institute (06/12/19)
2019 Annual Law Update, St. Louis, The Missouri Bar, Family Law Section (05/23/19)
Deposition Strategies in Divorce, National Business Institute (02/21/19)
The Trial of a Divorce Case, Federal Bar Association (02/20/19)
The Trial of a Divorce Case, myLawCLE (02/20/19)
Collaborative Divorce Process, Federal Bar Association (02/18/19)
Collaborative Divorce Process, myLawCLE (02/18/19)
Social Media in Divorce , National Business Institute (02/13/19)
Pre-nup Agreements: Avoiding the Top Mistakes, National Business Institute (01/30/19)
Discovering Hidden Assets in Divorce, National Business Institute (12/19/18)
50 Tech Tips, Sites & Gadgets, MOBarCLE (10/26/18)
E-mail & Text Message Evidence in Litigation, MOBarCLE (10/26/18)
E:Discovery: Apps & Emerging Technology You Need to Know About, MOBarCLE (10/26/18)
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email and Smartphone Evidence: The Ultimate Guide, National Business Institute (6/27/18)
Advanced Divorce Law, National Business Institute (06/22/18)
2018 Annual Law Update CLE, St. Charles, The Missouri Bar (06/15/18)
Social Media as Investigative Research , 2018 Solo & Small Firm Conference (6/09/18)
2018 Annual Law Update CLE, St. Louis, The Missouri Bar (05/24/18)
The Ethics of Social Media and Electronic Discovery, CLE by the SEA (3/8/18)
The Ethics of Social Media Media and Electronic Discovery, Missouri Bar (3/8/18)
Drafting Family Law Agreements, National Business Institute (2/1/18)
Text Message Evidence in Divorce Litigation, National Business Institute (Teleconference) , January 18, 2018 – Present
Dividing Property in Divorce: What Lawyers Need to Know about Double Dipping, Federal Bar Association (1/16/18)
Dividing Property in Divorce: What Lawyers Need to Know about Double Dipping, Palm Beach County Bar Association (1/16/18)
Dividing Property in Divorce: What Lawyers Need to Know about Double Dipping, myLawCLE (1/16/18)
Paperless Office for Paralegals & Attorneys, myLawCLE (1/15/18)
Smart Phone, Electronic and Social Media Evidence in Divorce and Family Litigation (12/1/17), West LegalEdcenter
Business Valuations in Divorce Law, Clear Law Institute, November 21, 2017 – Present
Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) in Divorce Cases: An Overview in Child Custody Litigation, myLawCLE (9/20/17)
A Paralegal’s Guide to Handling Custody & Support Issues, myLawCLE (9/20/17)
Discovery & Use of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Email and Smartphone Evidence: The Ultimate Guide, myLawCLE (9/19/17)
A Paralegal’s Guide to Out of State Discovery, myLawCLE (9/19/17)
Social Media and Electronic Evidence in Family Law , Clear Law Institute , August 22, 2017 – Present
Motions in Divorce , National Business Institute (7/25/17), July 25, 2017
The Scales of Justice: Investigating Claims in a Digital Age, Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, June 22, 2017 – June 25, 2017
Investigating Claims in the Digital Age, Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (6/24/17)
Family Law Section – 2017 Annual Law Update, Missouri Bar (5/25/17 & 6/23/17)
Case Management Tips & Keys to Managing Financial Information, National Business Institute (6/8/2017), June 8, 2017 – Present
Family Law From Start to Finish, National Business Institute, May 22, 2017 – Present
Email and Computer Evidence in Divorce, National Business Institute (3/09/17)
Deposition Strategies in Divorce and Custody Cases: Taking and Defending Depositions of Parties, Lay Witnesses and Experts, Strafford Publications (2/23/17)
Divorce Property Division and Trust Assets, Clear Law Institute (2/21/17)
Smartphone, Text and Social Media Evidence in Family Law, National Business Institute (2/15/17)
Prenuptial Agreements & Domestic Asset Protection Trusts: A General Overview of Both & the Differences, My Law CLE (2/3/17)
Family Law and Same-Sex Marriages: Divorce, Custody, Support & Embryos? Where It Stops? Nobody Knows, Missouri Bar (1/11/17-1/13/17)
Kessler-Eidson Program for Trial Techniques- Trial Skills Instructor, Emory University School of Law, 2016 – 2017
Divorce Property Division and Trust Assets: Strategies for Attacking or Defending Trusts, Strafford Publications (11/2/16)
Family Law: Navigating the Fundamentals, National Business Institute (10/28/16)
NBI National Webcast: Handling Complex Family Law Issues (10/20/15 and 10/19/16)
Business Interests in Divorce Litigation, My Law CLE (10/06/16)
NBI National Teleconference: Business Valuation in Divorce, National Business Institute (9/1/2016)
Family Law Practice Webinar Series on Property Division, Half Moon Education (8/25/16)
Family Law Conference: Facebook Evidence in Divorce, Missouri Bar (8/4/16-8/6/16 in Branson, MO)
Law Practice Management Series, Telephone Seminar: How to Build and Manage Success, Missouri Bar (6/28/16)
Annual Law Update – Family Law, Missouri Bar (5/26/16 in St. Louis and 6/24/16 in St. Charles)
Discovery of Social Media Use and Other Electronic Evidence in Divorce: A Paralegal’s Guide, Institute for Paralegal Education (6/23/14)
Live Video Broadcast: Smart Phone, E-Mail, Social Media and Electronic Evidence in Family Law Litigation, MyLawCLE (6/8/16)
NBI National Teleconference: Family Law Litigation, National Business Institute (5/24/16)
NBI National Audio Webcast: Divorce Law: Top 5 Challenges, National Business Institute (5/17/16)
NBI National Teleconference: Dividing Businesses in Divorce, National Business Institute (4/25/16)
Divorce Law Guide from A to Z, National Business Institute (6/25/13) and (4/21/16)
NBI National Webcast: Challenging Experts in Divorce, National Business Institute (4/14/16)
NBI Live Teleconference: Email Evidence in Divorce Litigation, National Business Institute (4/4/16)
Family Law Essentials: Negotiating and Drafting Settlement Agreements, Missouri Bar (4/1/16)
NBI National Webcast: Advanced Divorce Law, National Business Institute (2/23/16)
NBI National Webcast: Discovery and Evidence in Divorce, National Business Institute (2/4/16)
NBI National Webcast: Discovery Evidence and Divorce , National Business Institute (10/10/13, 6/10/14 and 2/4/16)
NBI National Teleconference: Smart Phone and Social Media Evidence in Divorce Litigation, National Business Institute (6/4/14, 12/2/14, 6/16/15, 1/26/16 and 7/12/16)
NBI National Webcast: Family Law Boot Camp, National Business Institute (12/9/15 and 12/10/15)
A Paralegal’s Guide: Divorce Cases from Start to Finish, Institute for Paralegal Education (11/5/2015 in St. Louis)
NBI National Webcast: Advanced Discovery in Divorce, National Business Institute (10/30/15)
Missouri Bar lex | Port Tech Ex: Social Media Evidence & Discovery and Admission, Missouri Bar (10/27/15)
Handling Ethical Issues in Family Law Practice for Paralegals, Half Moon Education (9/18/15)
Managing the Discovery Process: A Paralegal’s Guide – Paralegal National Webcast, Institute for Paralegal Education (6/26/14 and 8/11/15)
Pre-Nuptial Agreements: Drafting, Negotiations and Enforcement Disputes, Missouri Bar Family Law Conference (8/8/15)
NBI National Teleconference: The Family Attorneys’ Guide to DAPTs, National Business Institute (7/22/15)
Annual Law Update – Family Law, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (6/26/15 in St. Louis)
Divorce Property Division and Trust Assets: Strategies for Attacking or Defending Trusts, Strafford Publications Webinar (6/17/15)
NBI National Webcast: Divorce Law from A to Z, National Business Institute (6/16/15)
Social Media & Electronic Evidence: Discovery & Admission, Missouri Bar Solo and Small Firm Conference (6/13/15)
Annual Law Update – Family Law, Missouri Bar (5/21/15 in St. Louis)
Telephone Seminar: Adoptions and Name Changes, Missouri Bar (4/15/15)
IPE National Webcast: Out of State Discovery for Paralegals, Institute for Paralegal Education (4/7/15)
NBI National Webcast: Advanced issues in Divorce, National Business Institute (3/20/15)
Family Law Essentials: Negotiating and Drafting Settlement Agreements, Missouri Bar (3/13/15)
The Paralegals Guide to Managing E-Discovery, Institute for Paralegal Education (11/20/14)
NBI National Teleconference: Pre-Nuptial Agreements: Drafting, Negotiations, Disputes, National Business Institute (10/23/14)
NBI National Webcast: Dividing Trust Assets in Divorce, National Business Institute (9/22/14)
Smart Phone and Social Media Evidence for Lawyers and Judges, Eighth Circuit Judicial Conference in Omaha, Nebraska (8/7/14)
Discovery and Admission of Social Media and Electronic Evidence, Missouri Bar Family Law Conference (8/2/14)
Annual Law Update – Family Law (5/22/14 in St. Louis and 06/27/14 in St. Charles), Missouri Bar
NBI National Audio Webcast: Smart Phone and Social Media Evidence in Divorce Litigation , National Business Institute (6/4/14)
NBI National Webcast: Juvenile Law, National Business Institute (4/22/14)
Family Law Essentials: Negotiating and Drafting Settlement Agreements , Missouri Bar (3/14/14)
Advanced Family Law, National Business Institute (12/6/13)
Annual Law Update – Family Law, Missouri Bar (5/23/13 in St. Louis and 6/27/13 in St. Charles)
Annual Law Update – Family Law, Missouri Bar (6/28/12 in St. Charles)
Handling Divorce Cases From Start To Finish (Exploring Custody, Visitation and Support Issues and Ethical Perils in Divorce Practice, National Business Institute (5/17/12)
Advanced Family Law (Non-Traditional Family Structures & Paternity Disputes, Contempt & Military Divorce, National Business Institute (3/11/11)

Honors and Awards

Super Lawyers – 2015 to Present – Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers Honoree for Family Law
Missouri Lawyers Weekly – Top 100 Power List, 2025
Missouri Lawyers Weekly – Law Firm Leader Award, 2026
Super Lawyers – 2013 and 2014 – Missouri & Kansas Rising Stars Honoree for Family Law
AVVO Superb 10.0/10.0 Rating
Lead Counsel Rated For Divorce/Family Law, Lead Counsel, 2014 – Present
Missouri Lawyers Media – The POWER List Top 30 for Family Law, since 2020
JD Supra – 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards (Family Law) – Ranked #7
JD Supra – 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards (Family Law) – Ranked #10
JD Supra – 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards (Family Law) – Ranked #2
2000 Missouri Bar Examination – Results were in the Top 10% of all examinees.

Professional Associations and Memberships

Family Law Section, American Bar Association, Member
Mediator
Guardian ad Litem
American Bar Association Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute, Graduate, 2006
Collaborative Family Law Attorney
The National Trial Lawyers Top 30 Matrimonial & Family Law, President, 2024
The National Advocates Top 100, President, 2023
Mid-County YMCA, Board of Directors, 2021 – 2022
Adjunct Professor, Emory University School of Law, 2016 – Present
Global Collaborative Law Council, Associate Member, 2016 – Present
Maryville University National Leadership Council, Ambassador, 2017 – 2020
Missouri Collaborative Institute, President, 2017 – Present
FindLaw, Innovation Board, 2017 – Present
Kids Rock Cancer at Maryville University, Advisory Council, 2013 – 2020
Member, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals CEU/CLE Subcommittee of the IACP Forum’s Local Host Committee, 2019
Member, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
Wildwood Chapter of Business Network International, President, 2003 – 2004

Community Involvement

Membership Committee, Legends Country Club (Eureka, MO), 2023 to present
President, Neighborhood Homeowner’s Association, 2024 – Present
Member, Clayton-Ladue Rotary, Paul Harris Fellow, 2007 – Present
Mentor, Missouri Bar Mentoring Program, 2008 – 2012
Intern, United States Congress, 1997
Kids Rock Cancer, Advisory Council, Maryville University, 2013 – 2020
Making a Difference Award, Old Newsboys, 2015
Golden Plate Award, Old Newsboys, 2016
National Leadership Council, Maryville University, 2017 – 2020
Member, The Missouri Bar 2018 “CLE by the Sea” Committee, 2017 – 2018
Law Society, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law
Columns Society, University of Missouri-Columbia
Published Author, JD Supra, LLC, 2018 – Present
Contributor, Entrepreneur Magazine, 2025 – Present
Co-chair at Old Newsboys, 2020-21
Mid-County YMCA Board of Directors, 2021 – 2022

News & Media Features

NPR – Provided insights on seasonal divorce trends in Vanessa Romo’s article, “Divorces tend to spike in early spring and late summer. Here’s why.“
Page Six – Quoted in Eileen Reslen’s article on celebrity prenups, analyzing why Taylor Swift’s wealth and Travis Kelce’s career stage make a prenuptial agreement critical.
Cosmopolitan – Discussed the rise of Gen Z using AI in divorce proceedings in Annabel Iwegbue’s article, highlighting when technology helps and when human guidance is essential.
Yahoo! Entertainment – Featured across multiple articles covering the financial aspects of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s reported prenuptial agreement, including advice on NDAs and asset protection.
MarketWatch – Shared strategies for safeguarding assets in later-life marriages in Morey Stettner’s article, emphasizing the role of prenuptial agreements.
AS USA – Commented on seasonal divorce trends, confirming March and August as peak months for filings.
The U.S. Sun – Advised on the importance of prenups for couples of all wealth levels to protect assets and simplify divorce outcomes.
Authority Magazine – Interviewed for “The Business Side of Law,” offering guidance on running a successful law firm through marketing, management, finances, talent, and client care.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet – Provided key prenuptial tips and discussed a notable celebrity couple who went without one.
USA Today – Featured as a top attorney in 2025, recognizing leadership in growing Stange Law Firm into one of the nation’s largest practices.

Podcast & Broadcast Appearances

We Chat Divorce – Discussed the value of financial clarity and strategies for navigating complex life transitions.
Men Rising From Divorce – A Rising Phoenix Podcast – Explored custody challenges, false allegations, and maintaining the right mindset.
Co-Parenting Beyond Conflict with Sol Kennedy – Talked about personal growth, resilience, and navigating legal and emotional challenges.
The Dating Diaries with Christal & Scorpio Moe – Examined whether prenups should be mandatory and ways to normalize them for couples (joined at ~38-minute mark).
The Blaze with Tomi Lahren – Provided commentary on the “Slender Man stabbing” case.
Is it Legal to…Love and Marriage” by the Missouri Bar – Discussed divorce and family law-related topics.
The Freedom to Begin Again with Better Divorce Academy – Conversed about military divorce and other topics.

Fraternities/Sororities

Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity