Today we’d like to introduce you to John B. Reyna.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am native to Texas, but I’ve lived around the US and also in Mexico. My wife (Shena) and I live in Bedford with our two dogs (Tokaj and Rhone) and our cat (Aura).
My education varies in disciplines and locations. For undergrad, I attended The Ohio State University and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with a focus on Comparative Cultural Studies. I earned my J.D. from Texas Tech School of Law. I then attended SMU’s Dedman School of Law and earned an LL.M. in Taxation.
I worked in food and beverage from my first real job at the age of 15 all the way into my early thirties. Over the years, I worked at some of the finest luxury hotels and resorts in Arizona and Ohio. My management roles included Banquet Manager, Restaurant Manager, Sommelier, and Executive Steward.
Even though I left hospitality to attend law school, I continued to be drawn back into it. I have served on the Board of Directors for the Tarrant County Restaurant Association. I volunteer with the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation. I teach Restaurant Management and Beverage Management at the University of North Texas at Dallas. My wife and I own a beverage consulting company, Teakwood Tavern Hospitality. We provide wine and spirit education classes as well as specialty cocktail and zero-proof beverage creation for individuals and events.
My non-profit experience is similarly varied. Before law school, I was the Executive Director of a non-profit organization that provided educational experiences to middle school and high school students interested in the medical field. I volunteer as a board member and committee member for multiple non-profit organizations.
I am an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas at Dallas. At the School of Business, I teach both Restaurant Management and Beverage Management courses. At the College of Law, I teach Practice Foundation II: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution.
In 2021, I opened my own law firm, the Texas Hospitality and Non-profit Law Center, PLLC. I am a member of The Texas Bar College, which is a professional society of legal scholars who are leaders in the Texas legal community and champions of legal education. Lastly, I am the Vice-Chair of the Dallas Bar Association’s Small & Solo Firm Section for the 2022 calendar year.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
My path has definitely not been smooth, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. It shaped who I am, and I’m stronger because of it.
Going back to school in my thirties was difficult. I didn’t remember how to study and take tests. It was definitely a shock to my system. But I eventually figured it out and graduated with honors.
Of course, my real challenge about law school didn’t hit me until after I graduated and received my first student loan bill. It’s painful just typing this.
Once I started practicing law, I struggled to find joy in my work. I wasn’t thrilled about my practice areas. I could go through the motions and produce quality work products, but my heart wasn’t in it. There was no excitement. I often wondered if I made the right decision to go to law school. After a few years of practicing, I came to the conclusion that to be happy I needed to go out on my own and build my own type of law practice.
Now that I opened the Texas Hospitality and Non-profit Law Center, I’m happier than ever practicing law. I love my clients and the areas of law that I work in. But the firm is still new so there are a lot of growing pains. I’m a solo practitioner so I have to be a salesperson, administrator, and attorney. It’s difficult and exciting. I love it!
As you know, we’re big fans of Texas Hospitality and Non-profit Law Center, PLLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I established the Texas Hospitality and Non-profit Law Center to support those who nourish their communities. The firm represents restaurants, bars, tax-exempt organizations, non-profits, directors and officers, chefs, mixologists, entrepreneurs, and all others who are part of the hospitality and non-profit industries. The firm is committed to Texas’ hospitality and non-profit professionals.
Within those two industries, I serve as outside general counsel to my clients. I only perform transactional legal services. No litigation. If a client needs litigation services, I have great references for them.
My transactional practice involves employment, corporate, real estate, tax, and privacy and data security law. While there are some nuances that are unique to one industry, there is plenty of overlap between the two industries. For example, employers in both industries need assistance navigating employment laws; yet, certain employment laws (e.g., tipping laws) are more prevalent to a particular industry. At the end of the day, I’m a business attorney who supports two incredible industries.
What set’s me apart from other attorneys who dabble in these areas is that I have prior work experience in both industries. This work experience provides me with intimate knowledge about how hospitality and non-profit organizations operate and the challenges they face. Also, I speak the lingo, which helps me relate to my clients. And my prior work experience is why I have empathy toward my clients. I always explain to my clients that there are no stupid questions because I likely asked that same question when I was in their shoes.
I pride myself in not coming across like the typical lawyer. You know, a blood-sucking leech. There are plenty of incredible businesses and organizations within the hospitality and non-profit industries that need legal services but instead choose to forego because they are cash-strapped. I established my firm to provide excellent legal services at affordable prices. These industries deserve that in return for all that they do for our communities.
Lastly, I proudly wear my professor hat even when I’m in attorney mode. I love explaining the law to my clients so they can make intelligent business decisions. I take the time to educate my clients so they are confident about how the law affects their businesses. I want for them to be the smartest people in the room when they discuss a contract or a legal policy with their team or a third party.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Network. If you are building a brand, then you have to get out there and meet people. If networking scares you, don’t worry, there is good news. Networking has changed over time. I network a lot on social media. I was a guest speaker at Yale University during the Spring 2022 semester because I connected with a Yale professor on LinkedIn. We had a lot in common, and she asked me to come speak there. Recently, a connection I made via Instagram asked for me to be a guest speaker at her hospitality conference. Those two events gave me great exposure on a national level and both came from me networking via social media.
Networking is also very important as a solo practitioner because I need to build an outside support team. I don’t have the option of walking down the hall to another attorney’s office to ask a question or to pitch an idea. Instead, I made connections with other attorneys who cumulatively act as a brain trust. We can also refer business to each other since we have different practice areas.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@texashospitalitylaw.com
- Website: https://www.texashospitalitylaw.com
- Instagram: tx_hospitality_nonprofit_law
- Other: https://www.teakwoodtavern.com
