Royce is a proud second-generation Floridian.  Royce launched MissionCounsel.com to provide a platform and mechanism for delivering services to mission-focused clients and causes.  With a knack for general counsel services and success representing clients on a range of more specific matters including intellectual property, real estate, fundraising and contractual issues, Royce brings years of experience practicing law and as a leader in business, media and faith-based causes.  

Royce received his Juris Doctorate at Ave Maria School of Law in Naples Florida.  Royce also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Northwood University in West Palm Beach Florida.  Before obtaining his college education Royce began his career in public service. He launched a successful 501c3 called Kiss the Sky Foundation (in honor of Shannon Hickey) creating drug and alcohol free events for community youth across south Florida.  Royce produced the promoted a highly successful fundraising concert by renting out the spring training stadium for the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals located in Jupiter, Florida.  Over 16 bands performed with dozens of vendors including big sponsors like Miller’s Ale House and Clear Channel Radio and the event saw over 3000 spectators. 

After the success of Kiss the Sky Foundation, Royce was invited to join numerous community boards and he received multiple job offers all before having graduated college.  At 24 years old Royce became the youngest-ever appointed member of the Planning and Zoning Board for the Village of Tequesta, where he served for two-terms.  Tequesta is a roughly 2 1/2 mile municipality that at the time had around 5,000 residents and a $19million annual budget.  Royce helped revitalize the community with an eye towards ascetics and attention to details. But he knew his career needed a solid academic foundation.  The trouble was Royce had never particularly enjoyed school.  Encouraged by his childhood friend Richard Gore, Royce began attending college at night.  First one successful course and then two.  Soon Royce enrolled full-time at Northwood University.   But Royce didn’t have anyone to pay for his college. So,

Royce paid his way through undergraduate studies by brokering real estate deals in Jupiter, Florida.  He also worked as an assistant to a land-Developer handling land entitlement projects with a portfolio valued at over $20 million.   Royce managed a portfolio of listings valued at over $13 million during the day while attending class at night. After just three years he graduated Cum Laude from Northwood University with a Bachelor of Business Administration which an emphasis on management. 

In 2009, expanding on his successes and after experiencing a conversion to the Catholic Church, Royce entered Ave Maria School of Law.  While in law school Royce study the moral foundations of the law and also studied the natural law at the Holy See.  Royce quickly became active in the law schools pro-life group known as Lex Vitae Society.  “I went to pray outside of Planned Parenthood primarily because there was a really pretty girl that I wanted to see and hang out with” said Royce.  “I didn’t want anyone else speaking with her!”  But during his campaign to conquer love Royce soon grew in his convictions that he might be able to make a difference in the pro-life movement.  Royce soon became President of the Lex Vitae Society.   Utilizing his past experience promoting events Royce created and produced Vitae Fest.  Vitae Fest included food, music and a dunk tank featuring certain notorious professors and the Dean from the law school.  Enough money was raised that year to send over 50 students to the annual March for Life.  

Royce also began calling on nationally known pro-life leaders and asking them to speak on campus. Much to his surprise they answered!   One by one leaders responded and Royce hosted numerous pro-life events inviting members of the Naples community along with leaders from the Diocese of Venice, area churches and local pro-life organizations.  Leaders included Kristan Hawkins from Students For Life and Bobby Schindler brother of Terri Schiavo.  John-Henry Westen from Life Site News and David Bereit from 40 Days for Life.  Royce also met Jason Jones during a conference at Ave Maria University.  “Jason was a filmmaker and I thought, I can do that” said Royce.  “Just a few years later Jason and I would go to work on the Sing a Little Louder movie produced by what would become Flourish Your Faith Ministries. 

As a law student Royce also launched a number of businesses and apostolates including Maria News and The Law of Life Summit.  Maria News quickly grew to become a popular publication around campus where students and faculty could publish articles (as an alternative to the Law Review).  The Law of Life Summit was an annual conference that Royce, along with Dr. Pat Castle from the LIFE Runners, produced in Washington, D.C., with attorneys, law students and pro-life leaders from around the country.  The Law of Life Summit has since grown to become one of the most well respected pro-life conferences in the country with an annual gathering of pro-life leaders in Washington, D.C.  See LawLife.org  Royce became friends with Nellie Gray, founder of the March for Life, and she attended the first annual Law of Life Summit in Washington, D.C.  

In 2012, Royce was also invited, by Nellie Gray, to join the prestigious board of directors for the March for Life Education and Defense Fund in Washington, D.C., becoming the youngest member of the board. Nellie passed away shortly after Royce was voted on to the board.  Royce attended her funeral in Washington, D.C., as a pallbearer.  

“Nellie and I were friends for roughly nine-months before she passed away” recounted Royce.  “She was just incredible.  During those nine-months I called Nellie weekly to just learn from her.  Our weekly calls sometimes lasted well over an hour.  She would tell me about her service during World War II.  She also told me bits of history like how memorial day use to be flag day.  She was just such a wealth of information.”  

Royce served the March for Life as a director until 2019, serving alongside with the likes of future Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, Patrick Kelly and other distinguished leaders such as Tim Siccoccia and Jeanne Mancini. In 2019 Royce took over the role of outside general counsel with the March for Life helping to draft national and international policies and procedures for licensing and expansion of the March for Life into various states and managing various legal matters for the organization.  

After graduating law school in 2012, Royce moved to Chicago and joined Immaculata Law Firm.   Within three years Royce successfully closed over $75 million in financing transactions for catholic diocesan and institutional organizations.  Royce’s experience in real estate and his successes in leadership and management contributed to his ability to coordinate with multiple parties to sophisticated transactions. 

Royce’s commitment to faith and family have been the guiding principles for his career.  Royce is an innovative leader and problem solver.  Royce is also a public speaker and is often invited to give talks on topics ranging from law, media, public policy and faith.   Additionally, Royce has created and produced numerous media properties that have been distributed world-wide from films to music to publications.  See RoyceHood.com and StellaMar.org 

Royce also dabbles in technology and startups for investment purposes. Deploying creativity and technology to solve problems:  During the lockdowns from COVID-19, Royce discovered that numerous clients and small nonprofit organizations lack the ability to afford, or the knowhow to create, cutting edge websites.  Further they didn’t understand how to go remote or how to produce virtual events.  Royce helped numerous organizations stay afloat by producing virtual webcasts and fundraising events.  Additionally, Royce launched eClient.app as an online portal for a handful his clients to allow for simple websites and demo pages for important projects.  Today eClient.app manages over 200 domain names and websites.  

Royce is married to Elise, his law school sweet heart.  They presently live in central Illinois with their children.  

Proven leader & passionate advocate for christian & charitable causes

With MissionCounsel my dream is to combine my years of experience in law, business, media and advocacy to offer charitable and mission-focused clients useful resources and turnkey services.  My plan working with clients is to create solutions for challenges and actionable strategies that will enable my clients to learn how to fish. From general counsel legal work to intellectual property to structuring and finance/fundraising to launch and growth.  MissionCounsel has been launched to offer legal services and strategic planning services for mission focused individuals, organizations and projects.

As an attorney I have represented and worked with national organizations such as the March For Life Education and Defense Fund, Thomas More Society, Stella Mar Films, Flourish Your Faith Ministries and United Stroke Alliance.  In addition, I have over 15 years of business experience working in areas such as nonprofit administration, real estate (brokerage and development) and media production.

As a public speaker I have developed a unique style of connecting with audiences of all sizes at events around the country.   I have presented talks and workshops on everything from pro-life matters to business and entrepreneurship. I have been interviewed on EWTN’s Life on the Rock regarding my past media ventures.   More recently my wife and I were interviewed on EWTN’s Pro Life Weekly and on Al Kresta’s national Radio Show regarding our 6th child, Fulton Joseph.  I produced a song called Fulton’s Song using Fulton’s heartbeat as the metronome.  Fulton’s Song was played for Fulton every night during the pregnancy.  The song was also subsequently released on YouTube and has received thousands of views.

 

During the pandemic I developed a number of webcasts and online events to keep clients and causes engaged with their supporters.  Finally, as a producer of both film and music projects I have a unique skillset combining creative, business and legal experience.

Ultimately, I am a husband and father of seven children.  I am a devout Christian and a member of the Roman Catholic Church.  In the words of Tom Monahan I am “trying to be a good Catholic.”   I am licensed to practice law in the States of Illinois and Florida. 

 

 

Practice of Law.  From intellectual property to general counsel.  From TROs, Circuit Court and Multimillion Dollar Transactions (real estate and serving as bond counsel).  

Strategic Planning.  If your project glorifies the World then its not for me.  But if your project glorifies God then we should talk. 

Domain Names and Websites.  Do you need help register a domain, acquiring a domain or launching a digital presence?  You can save countless hours with a few step-by-step consultations.  I can also offer turnkey production depending on your project needs.  Inquire today.

Real Estate and Development.  From land acquisition to entitlement to project funding, structuring and brokerage.  

Film, Music, Literature, Digital Media.  From film to music to international publishing deals to websites.  I have extensive experience in all things property and in this case “intellectual property.” 

Consultations & Fees.  I offer free consultations.  In addition my fees range from flat fees to monthly retainers or hourly depending on client needs, ability and project requirements.   Schedule a consultation and we can discuss.