The Anthony Reeves Experience

Starting a business is often painted as exhilarating—a moment filled with hope, ambition, and the thrill of stepping into the unknown. My day one of opening my law firm was all of those things, but also surprisingly mundane and sobering. At the time, I was living in Kissimmee, FL, and my previous corporate office was in Tampa. For two years, I commuted an hour and a half daily to Tampa. But now, my journey led to Bartow, FL, a rural town nestled in Polk County, about an hour away. Unlike the bustling interstates to Tampa, the drive to Bartow required navigating winding back roads through quiet, unfamiliar landscapes. The solitude of that morning drive stuck with me. For the first time, I was no longer a part of a team, a company, or an established system. I was on my own. There were no coworkers, supervisors, or departments to lean on—just me and the dream of building my own law firm. Arriving at the office—a space I was sharing with another law firm—felt surreal. It was a modes...

Have you ever stopped to think about what it means to aspire to your “dream job”? We hear this phrase all the time—people striving for that one role, that one position they believe will fulfill their dreams. But let’s take a moment to pause and dig deeper: why do we call it a “dream job”? At its core, a job is something structured by someone else—defined by their needs, rules, and goals. So why do we attach something as personal and profound as a dream to something that’s ultimately controlled by others? It’s worth reflecting on this question because the answer might change how you approach your goals. The Allure of the Dream Job For many people, the concept of a dream job is tied to what the job represents: • Financial security. • Prestige or recognition. • Opportunities to work in exciting environments or professional circles. These are all valid aspirations. But here’s the challenge—are these outcomes exclusive to one specific job? Often, we think achieving a c...

Summer of 2005: A Unique Opportunity In the summer of 2005, a close friend offered me an opportunity I couldn’t fully comprehend at the time: serving as campaign counsel for a Florida senator running for Congress. My immediate response was a confident “yes,” despite not understanding the full scope of what I was stepping into. “Campaign counsel”? “Running for Congress”? These terms sounded foreign to me. As a relatively new attorney with four years under my belt, I assumed my role would simply involve answering legal questions if they arose. What I didn’t realize was that this journey would not only expose me to an entirely new area of law but also to a world far beyond my comfort zone. Stepping into a New Role My first meeting with the campaign manager shattered any illusions of a passive role. She made it clear that I would be deeply involved, not just as an attorney but as an active participant in the campaign. To prepare, I underwent specialized training in election law, fun...

When I was a law student at Florida State University College of Law, I had no idea how transformative one particular assignment would become. It was the spring semester, and we were tasked with a legal writing and research assignment known as the “open brief.” At first glance, it seemed straightforward: write a brief supporting or opposing a position. What I didn’t realize was that this would lead to an incredible journey through an appellate competition, culminating in an experience that forever changed my perspective on the legal profession. The Open Brief and Appellate Competition The open brief wasn’t just a writing assignment—it was the first step in a rigorous process to join the Moot Court Team, our school’s prestigious appellate court team. The Moot Court Team wasn’t just an extracurricular activity. Membership was a mark of distinction, signaling to future employers that you were among the best of the best in legal advocacy. The process was highly competitive. After subm...