All in the Family: Reyna Siblings Carry on a Legacy of Law and Islander Pride

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas­— The story of the Reyna family shows how one man’s dream can ripple through generations, how a hometown university can launch greatness, and how a shared passion for the business of law can build a lasting legacy.

The patriarch, Armando L. Reyna, is a first-generation American who came to this country with determination and big dreams — dreams he would see fulfilled through hard work and perseverance. From humble beginnings, he built a life defined by purpose. After putting himself through school and earning a law degree, he laid down roots in Corpus Christi, becoming a lawyer, husband, and father.

“My father was my hero,” said Luis Reyna III ’05. “By eighth grade, I had written a school project about him. I knew then that I wanted to follow in  his footsteps.”

And follow, he did. Luis graduated from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Four years later, he earned his law degree from Texas Southern University in Houston. Today, he serves as an attorney for the Public Defender’s Office at the Nueces County Courthouse. 

“When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time at my father’s law office,” Luis said. “I saw the work he was doing in our community, and it was something that I felt I had a strong passion to do — to help others.”

While Luis became the first sibling to navigate the path to law school, he didn’t walk the halls of justice alone for long. One by one, his brothers and sister followed suit. They would all earn their bachelor’s degree from TAMU-CC and then make their way to law school. 

Carlos Reyna ’07, the youngest brother, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the Island University before attending law school at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. Today, he’s a criminal defense attorney and owns a law practice in Corpus Christi. “Because my two brothers also work in Nueces County, we often see each other in the courtrooms or in the hallways,” Carlos said. “We get to bounce ideas off each other and get a different perspective on  our cases.”

Robert Daniel Reyna ’08, who earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from TAMU-CC, also runs his own law practice in Corpus Christi, handling court-appointed and federal criminal cases. 

“I originally wanted to be a software engineer and write code,” Robert said.  “But my brothers were big influences on me. Even though I’m the middle brother, they were attorneys before me. My parents were very supportive as well.”

The youngest sibling, Crystal Reyna ’12, earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from TAMU-CC and later completed her law degree at Texas Southern University, like her brothers Luis and Robert. She now serves as an attorney for the Harris County Public Defender’s Office in Houston.

“I always knew I wanted to go to law school, but once I started taking more criminal justice courses at TAMU-CC, it confirmed my interest in criminal law and impacted my decision to become a criminal defense attorney,” Crystal said.

All four Reyna siblings share fond memories of their time at the Island University — crediting their time on campus with helping them cultivate the leadership skills they needed to succeed in the legal profession. 

“I’ve always been very shy, and I didn’t like talking in front of groups of people,” Robert said. “But group projects at TAMU-CC gave me confidence that I took into law school and now my career.”

For Luis, one of the most formative experiences on campus was joining Phi Delta Theta, a fraternity built on brotherhood, moral rectitude, and  sound learning. 

“We studied together, worked out together, and held each other accountable,” said Luis, who served as the fraternity’s vice president. “My brother Carlos even joined, so we  weren’t just brothers — we were  fraternity brothers, too.”

Crystal also took part in Greek Life at the Island University.  “I’m an Alpha Gamma Delta and I’m also active member in the Islander Alumni Association based in Houston,” Crystal said.

The Reyna family legacy at TAMU-CC extends beyond the siblings. Their mother, Maribella Reyna ’12, returned to school later in life to earn a degree in psychology and graduated from TAMU-CC the same year as her daughter. Various family members have also selected TAMU-CC for their degrees.

“We’ve gotten really good at saving seats at graduation,” Luis joked.

Though their time as students at the Island University may be over, their impact lives on.

“I speak at the TAMU-CC Criminal Justice Club meetings several times a year, talking to students about the process of trying a case and what they need to do to become a lawyer,” Luis said.

Each Reyna sibling has carved their own path in the business of law, yet they remain connected by family and the Islander education that shaped them all.