When I was 15, my parents went through a divorce, which had a profound impact on our family. A divorce is a difficult and complex process, even under the best of circumstances. Even the most amicable divorce still causes some degree of heartache and pain to those involved. Looking back on my journey through college, law school, and life, I see that my family's journey helped fuel my passion for helping others facing some legal challenges.
No matter the type of case (divorce, custody, personal injury, business divorce, breach of contract), there is always an impact on those involved. There are always important decisions to be made and sometimes life-altering events to be dealt with by my client(s). Since I began to practice law in 1995, I've had the opportunity to help thousands of clients (s) in both simple and various complex matters. Those matters have ranged from multi-million cases in multiple areas of the law, such as divorce, personal injury, and breach of contract cases, to relatively simple versions of the same types of matters. While the numbers and legal complexities of those cases may change, what the client is experiencing and going through is consistent throughout those matters. Thus, I have come to learn is that one of the most valuable things I can assist a client with is making sure we are Responding versus Reacting.
Generally, we are Reacting when we make short-term decisions or choices that conflict with our long-term goals. We are Reacting when we let our emotions, pain, anger, resentments, etc., factor into the choices and decisions we make. We often regret our Reactions and wish we could have done things differently. Often our Reactions move us away from our long-term goals. By contrast, a Response is thoughtful, deliberate, intentional and helps us move on a logical path towards our long-term goal. A Response requires us to pause, take a breath, and gain some clarity on a given situation before we provide a response or take some action.
One of my primary responsibilities in helping any client, irrespective of the type of case, is to help them think strategically, logically and respond to the situation versus reacting. As I look back on 26 years (and counting) of practicing law, I realize even though I didn't use these words (respond versus react ), that was how I was coaching my clients from the start. I saw the cost of reacting on my family, and it didn't help anyone. Instead, it caused more hurt, anger, money and took many years for healing to occur. However, when I have seen clients responding versus reacting, they feel better emotionally, the financial costs are less, and they make better litigation decisions. This growth mindset helps propel them forward to a better tomorrow.
Professional and Educational Background
I graduated from high school in 1988 from a small town in mid-Missouri couple approximately 12,000 people. I was the first in my immediate family to attend college. I went to Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, and graduated with honors in 1992 with a B.S.B.A. in Finance and Economics. Next, I attended law school at the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Law and graduated in 1995 with my Juris Doctorate. I began practicing law in the fall of 1995 in the State of Missouri. After that, I was admitted to practice law in the State of Kansas in the summer of 1996. I have continued to actively practice law in both Missouri and Kansas since that time.
After graduation from law school, I worked for a small law firm doing a wide variety of legal matters for approximately two years. In 1998 founded The Reynolds Law Firm, LLC to provide trusted guidance and advice. We believe in listening to our client(s) story, asking clarifying questions, and providing guidance to them on the law to help them define the objectives and goals of their case. Once we understand the objectives and goals, the next step of the process is to help develop a plan (aka strategy) and pathway forward to try and achieve those goals. Every person, every case, every situation is unique in someone, so one of my core beliefs has always been to not take the proverbial "cookie-cutter" approach to the legal case.
Awards (Sampling of Recent Recognitions)
• Martindale Hubble, AV-rated
• Super Lawyers
• Kansas City Business Journal – "Best of the Bar"
• American Institute of Family Law Attorneys – "10 Best Attorneys"
• American Institute of Family Law Attorneys – "10 Best Law Firms"
• National Association of Distinguished Counsel
• American Association of Attorney Advocates – "Top 100"
