The Anthony Reeves Experience

When I was a student at the University of Tampa, I remember introducing a step show as part of a routine for a non-Greek organization who was participating in a competition. It was an awesome display because at that time there were no black fraternities or sororities on the campus and aside from a small population of minority students, the vast majority of students on the campus probably had not had any exposure to or have seen or even have even heard of a step show. However, I truly believed that this particular competition would be an awesome opportunity. I can still remember the event because the majority of the students there were white and I was really excited by the fact that they were going to see something that was unique to my culture that they may not have ever been exposed to. And, I was not surprised, they gave a rounding of applause at what they were seeing. After that event, it made me wonder, how many of us out there don’t take the opportunity to engage in activities of ...

The fall of 1987 was a magical time for my mom. The single mother of the young man she raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas was about to take the next big step in his journey through life.  He had been accepted into the college of his choice.  He would be leaving to travel roughly 900 miles away.   She would place all of his belongings in a large foot locker.  She would drive him to the Little Rock Regional Airport.  She would stand at the gate and watch as her baby would board a plane and proceed to fly over the horizon.  A tear would roll down her face as a silent voice inside would say “Job well done”. That was the magical moment. And then, I MESSED IT ALL UP! Lol. A week before I was due to leave for college, I asked my mother if I could ride with one of my high school friends to Tampa in his old pick up truck.   Yep.  I went from 4 hour to a 15 hour ride.   Just like that. And, to my surprise, she said yes.  It helped that she knew m...

  Now, I’m not saying Don’t give graduates money.  That is the LAST thing I am saying.   But for future graduates, let’s help them try to find a job. I can tell you that I wish someone would have done that for me. In the Spring of 1991, I was living my best life.  I had just got commissioned as an Army Reserve officer.  I was graduating from my alma mater.   I was pumped up and motivated for the future. And what was my future? I had no idea.   I had a military commitment to go to my Officers Basic Course for 5 months from September 1991 to February 1992. As such, I was hesitant about applying for a job.  Never mind that I had NO idea that having a military commitment would NOT have affected my ability to get a job or keep a job.   As such, I didn’t try to look for a full time job.  I worked 3 weeks as a telemarketer (NEVER AGAIN!).  I worked for my alma mater as a special Resident Assistant for incoming freshmen participating in a s...

  When I arrived at the University of Tampa in the Fall of 1987, one of the first things I looked for in proximity to the Campus was a barber.   I had just spent the summer in Advanced Training for the Army and I was starting my first year of Army ROTC so keeping my hair looking good was crucial.  Unfortunately, despite the various barbers immediately around my campus, none of the barbers cut black hair.  I eventually found one a few miles away but after my first year, I ended becoming close friends with another black student who cut hair.  And to my surprise, he and his room mate were the ‘go to’ guys for getting your haircut if you are black.  Anyone who truly knows me knows that I have a deep love for my alma mater.  With a little over 1600 students and located in the heart of downtown Tampa, I fell in love with this small, liberal arts university with the various historical buildings which were converted to class rooms and dorm rooms.   B...

  “It’s a good thing you didn’t go to a Black College because that’s not the real world.” I remember that statement.  33 years after hearing it.  It still leaves a mark.  I was 18 years old when I heard it.  I didn’t know how to process what was being said but even as an adult, it still left a lasting impact. The year was 1987.  I was on my dorm room floor talking to other students.  I was attending a small private university where the school was 95% white.  I was the only person of color on my dorm room floor.    When you’re trying to get to know your fellow college students, it is not uncommon for students to discuss what brought them to the college and what other universities did they consider.  During my conversation with one white young lady, she asked me what schools I had considered.   I mentioned the schools (and the majority of them were Historically Black Colleges and Universities or HBCUs).  After I said th...

  If you are in a situation where you believe filing a law suit is the best course of action, you are not alone.  Millions of people utilize legal processes and procedures in an effort to obtain an outcome to improve their situation.   However, merely saying “I’m going to sue you” is not enough when it comes to protecting your right.  Law suits are complex processes that requires a variety of different steps, procedures, and protocols that must be followed.  In addition, using the legal system does not guarantee the outcome you are attempting to obtain.   Make sure you take the time to properly educate yourself so you don’t find yourself frustrated with the process of going through the legal system

Saying “I’m going to sue you” is very easy.  But once you are committed to suing someone, are you really ready for everything that is involved in suing someone?   If it’s an individual, it may be fairly straight forward.  But what if you are suing a company, a major corporation, or the government?  Do you know WHO you should be suing?  Do you know the right court to sue them?  Do you know what you want to get out of the law suit?   Do you have the money to sue them? All of these things are things you should honestly consider when you have made the decision to sue someone.  Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t think of these things until they find themselves in court trying to figure out why their case is being dismissed. Take the time to educate yourself about what it means to sue someone so you don’t find yourself stressed because you didn’t take the appropriate steps to sue.

  No one plans to ever use the legal system. No one plans to hire an attorney. There are things that happen during the course of someone’s life that we expect to have happen on a regular basis. But involving ourselves in a lawsuit is not one of them. So if you find yourself in a position where you have to engage the legal system, which may include hiring an attorney, be prepared for your life to change. When I speak of changing in your life, I’m not talking about a situation where you have to change who you know, where you are, or even other aspects of your life. However, depending on the legal situation you find yourself in, you may have to adapt your life to some new circumstances that you never intended. All of a sudden, things that you took for granted like your personal information, privacy information, individuals that you interact with, or even certain day-to-day actions may be impacted by your legal case. And this is not necessarily a comfortable situation for some people. ...

How an employer education program helped me 05/11 by Tony Reeves - JD MPH BS | Social Networking : How I used an employer education program to pay for my grad schoo

  One of the difficult conversations to have with people as an attorney is getting them to understand the consequences of their actions.   When people hire an attorney, they often think the attorney will show them ‘legal ways’ to get over or get away with something. Attorneys are bound by both ethical guidelines (ethical rules) and legal responsibility (legal malpractice). As such, they have to be very careful in the advice they provide.  Also, attorneys have an ethical duty to keep you informed.  And part of that ethical duty is help you understand the consequences of your actions if you are trying to  “RUN CLEAN” Or “RIDE DIRTY”! Now, for those of you who are confused by the phrase “RUN CLEAN or RIDE DIRTY”, here is what I mean.   At some point, when I say “RUN CLEAN”, you may be faced with a situation where taking a particular course of action is advisable (from a legal standpoint) but not beneficial (from your standpoint).   However, when...

  Big Law Firms are like the BIG HOUSE ON THE HILL!  They are awesome. If you have never been to a large law firm office, you are missing out on an experience.    And they do a great job of building up to the experience. The TV ads!  The Billboards!  The Radio Ads!  The bus ads!  Marqui sponsorships!  They are everywhere. And then, when you decide to hire a large firm, you are going to experience something you have never experienced.  Whether it’s their own building or inside of a high rise, engaging a large law firm can feel like an overwhelming experience but it IS an experience. Marble floors. Luxurious furniture.  Glassed in conference rooms.   Refreshments.   A large law firm experience can feel like staying at a 5 star resort. I am a huge fan of large law firms. HOWEVER…… As someone who used to work in a medium size firm (with a small firm culture) for 6 years before running his own solo law firm for 9 years, le...

  I spent two summers working for Chili’s Bar and Grill as a Dishwasher / Janitor.   At the time, I was back home between my Freshmen/Sophomore year and my Sophomore/Junior year.  I had a blast.   It was guaranteed income.  I was back home for the summer.  I was a college kid.  I was home in Pine Bluff, Arkansas yet working in the capital, Little Rock, which was an hour away.  My cousins lived in Little Rock so I had a place to stay when I didn’t feel like driving back.  I had a great time. But the one thing I never thought about was the reality that there was some people who do this job full time. For me, it was a summer gig.  Something to make a few dollars in between school years and a way to have some great stories to share with my college friends. But I never truly appreciated the hard work behind what I was doing.  I worked the morning shift before the doors opened at 11:00am.  As such, I would arrive at 7:30am so I could...

  When you realize your mother is GANGSTA! Flashback to 1989 - 1990. Back in the day, it was fairly common to see people wearing jeans with graphic designs.  The graphics can be anywhere from Malcolm X to MLK to anything that stood apart.   As a gift to my mother, I bought her a pair of jeans and took them to my frat brother who was starting a graphic design business (while he was working on his PhD in Microbiology because THAT’s how ALPHAs DO! LOL).  Since she is a Delta, I asked him to ‘work his magic’ on the jeans.  As such, on the front of one pants leg, he painted a perfect elegant that went the LENGTH of her pants leg.   At the top of the other pants leg, he drew a pyramid with 1913 under it and down the remainder of the leg was the word “OOOOOOOP”.   I don’t remember what he put on the back but he put a few other graphic artwork but his emphasis was the front.   Of course, as a proud son, I was more than excited to give it to my m...

  I hate family law.  There, I said it. Oh, and I hate Criminal, Immigration, Probate law, and ohh, why go on any further! It’s not that it’s hard.  It’s just that it’s……..Oh, who am I kidding.  It’s ALL HARD!  LOL! But that’s not the reason why I hate it. When attorneys go to law school, we are trained how to think.   We all have foundational courses we take (i.e. legal writing, contracts law, property law, torts, civil procedure, constitutional law, and criminal law).  However, these foundational courses serve as a tool to help us readjust our mindsets.  We aren’t being taught THE LAW.  We are being taught how to ENGAGE the law.   We are learning the Rules of Engagement.  We are learning how to view things through a very different set of glasses than the average public.  In other words, as I said before, we are trained to think. Once we get admitted to practice law, we learn something fairly quickly.  In any area of law,...