Jimmie V. Reyna

Jimmie V. Reyna is an American attorney who has served as a circuit judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit since 2011. Appointed by President Barack Obama, he entered the federal judiciary with a distinguished background in international trade law and a record of leadership within Hispanic legal organizations. His tenure on the Federal Circuit is noted for breaking two historical barriers: he was the first Latino and the first practitioner whose primary expertise lay in international trade to sit on that court.

Early life and legal career

Jimmie V. Reyna was born on November 11, 1952, in Tucumcari, New Mexico, to Baptist missionary parents, Julian Calano Reyna and Consuelo Valdenebro Reyna. The family later moved to Clovis, where Reyna completed his secondary education. He graduated at the top of his high‑school class, serving as senior class president, earning a varsity letter, and participating in speech and drama activities while working after school and assisting his father with night‑time office cleaning jobs.

In 1971 Reyna entered the University of Rochester on a scholarship, majoring in history. During his freshman year he married fellow student Dolores Ramirez, and their first child was born while they were sophomores. To support themselves, the couple sold books door‑to‑door during summer breaks, and Reyna also worked as a disc jockey for the campus radio station WRUR, where he created Rochester’s inaugural Spanish‑language program that aired on Saturday mornings. Both completed their Bachelor of Arts degrees in 1975.

Reyna pursued legal studies at the University of New Mexico School of Law beginning in 1975. While there he participated in the Centro Legal Clinical Law Program and a felony prosecution clinic, and he clerked for the firm Ortega & Snead. He earned his Juris Doctor in 1978 and was admitted to the New Mexico State Bar the following year.

Following graduation, Reyna began his professional practice as an associate at Shaffer, Butt, Thornton & Baer in Albuquerque. In 1981 he opened a solo law office in the same city, where he practiced until 1986. During this period he helped found the Hispanic Culture Foundation, an organization that later evolved into the National Hispanic Cultural Center; Reyna served on its board and acted as legal counsel for several years. He also attended the National Security Forum of the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1985, and both he and his wife were active participants in local mental‑health initiatives.

Reyna’s career shifted to Washington, D.C., in 1986 when he joined the firm Stewart & Stewart as an associate focusing on trade policy and international trade regulation. He was promoted to partner in 1993, expanding his practice to include representation of clients before multilateral and regional trade bodies and participation in international trade negotiations. Beginning in 1994, Reyna served as a United States panelist for disputes under Chapter 19 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), handling antidumping and countervailing duty cases. In 1995 he was appointed by the U.S. government to the World Trade Organization’s roster of non‑governmental dispute‑settlement panelists, a distinction that placed him among a limited group of experts worldwide.

In 1998 Reyna became a partner at Williams Mullen, where he directed the firm’s Trade and Customs Practice Group and led its Latin America Task Force. He was elected to the firm’s board of directors for two consecutive terms beginning in 2006, serving first a two‑year term and then a three‑year term after reelection. Throughout his private‑practice career, Reyna represented corporations, individuals, and minors in both jury and bench trials, appeared before municipal, state, federal, and administrative tribunals, and advised on matters ranging from foreign investment to export controls, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and customs compliance.

Reyna’s scholarly contributions include two books: *Passport to North American Trade: Rules of Origin and Customs Procedures Under NAFTA* (1995) and *The GATT Uruguay Round, A Negotiating History: Services, 1986‑1992* (1993). He has also authored numerous articles on trade and customs law. In addition to his practice, he held leadership roles in professional organizations, notably serving as president of the Hispanic National Bar Association.

Federal appellate service

President Barack Obama nominated Reyna to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in early 2011 to fill a vacancy identified by the seat designation CAFC0703. The Senate confirmed his appointment on April 4, 2011, and he received his commission shortly thereafter. Upon joining the bench, Reyna became both the first Latino judge and the first former international‑trade practitioner to serve on the Federal Circuit, a court with nationwide jurisdiction over patent law, government contracts, international trade, and certain other specialized areas.

As an active circuit judge, Reyna participates in hearing appeals from district courts, administrative agencies, and specialized tribunals within the Federal Circuit’s jurisdiction. He contributes to panels that decide cases involving complex technical and commercial issues, including those related to patents, federal procurement, and international trade disputes—areas closely aligned with his professional background. His service on the court also includes involvement in en banc proceedings, where all active judges of the circuit consider matters of particular significance.

Reyna’s appointment reflected the Obama administration’s emphasis on diversifying the federal judiciary and bringing practitioners with substantive expertise in specialized fields to appellate courts. His presence on the Federal Circuit has added a perspective shaped by decades of experience before trade tribunals such as NAFTA panels and WTO dispute‑settlement bodies, complementing the court’s existing composition of judges from varied legal backgrounds.

Jurisprudence and legacy

While specific opinions authored by Judge Reyna are not detailed here, his jurisprudential influence can be understood through the lens of his extensive pre‑judicial experience. Having spent more than a quarter‑century advising clients on international trade law, customs regulations, and cross‑border commerce, he brings to the Federal Circuit an in‑depth appreciation for the practical implications of legal rulings on trade policy and commercial operations. This expertise is particularly relevant when the court reviews cases arising under the United States’ trade statutes or when it interprets provisions that affect multinational enterprises.

Reyna’s scholarly work, especially his publications on NAFTA rules of origin and the Uruguay Round negotiations, underscores a deep engagement with the development of international trade regimes. His writings have been cited in academic and policy discussions concerning trade liberalization, services agreements, and customs procedures. By authoring these texts, he contributed to the broader understanding of complex treaty frameworks among practitioners and scholars alike.

Beyond his written contributions, Reyna’s leadership within the Hispanic National Bar Association and his earlier involvement with the Hispanic Culture Foundation highlight a commitment to advancing diversity within the legal profession. His historic appointment as the first Latino on the Federal Circuit serves as a milestone for representation in the federal judiciary, offering a visible example of inclusion for aspiring attorneys from underrepresented backgrounds.

Reyna’s career trajectory—from a modest upbringing in New Mexico, through a multifaceted private practice that spanned litigation, regulatory counsel, and international dispute resolution, to his current role on a national appellate court—illustrates the breadth of experience that can inform federal judicial service. His legacy is likely to be measured both by the decisions he helps shape on the Federal Circuit and by the broader impact of his pioneering presence on the bench for Latino lawyers and for practitioners specializing in international trade law.