Ezequiel Reyna, Jr. ‘80
Sept. 23, 2019 - Ezequiel Reyna, Jr., a 1980 graduate of the University of Houston Law Center, credits the school for changing his life and allowing him to help countless people through his South Texas law practice in Weslaco.
"I come from a very poor background," Reyna said. "I always had aspirations of doing something with myself, but law was not at the forefront of my aspirations. It just seemed somewhat farfetched."
Reyna thanks his close childhood friend, the late George Almaraz '77, for convincing him to apply to law school.
"I had the good fortune of getting into the Law Center, which is a fantastic law school," Reyna said.
Shortly after completing his legal education, Reyna founded the Law Office of Ezequiel Reyna, Jr., where he continues to serve as managing partner. The firm specializes in personal injury law and has five attorneys and more than 50 employees.
"There are a lot of impoverished people in South Texas," Reyna said. "I've loved personal injury work from the beginning since it's about helping those in need and righting a wrong. We've been blessed to be able to help many thousands of South Texas families."
Reyna affirms "without hesitation" that the Law Center altered the trajectory of his career. As the newest member of the Cornerstone Club, Reyna hopes to change the lives of aspiring attorneys for years to come, just as the Law Center did for him.
"To say the Law Center was a life-changer would be an understatement," Reyna said. "It was a no-brainer for me to give back. What makes institutions great are the professors and the administration. Having good administrators and good professors takes resources. A good portion of those resources must come from alumni."
The Cornerstone Club is a group of alumni leaders who fulfilled a $250,000 commitment toward the construction of a new Law Center building. A total of $78 million has been earmarked for the new law school building with funds secured from private contributions and state and university support. Click here for more information on the final phase of the building campaign.
