Daingerfield native opens local law office

Daingerfield native Doug Reeder has returned to his hometown, opening a law firm in Daingerfield. The grand opening and ribbon cutting of Doug Reeder Law Firm was held Feb. 3.

Reeder has been pleases thus far with the reception he has received from the community. “We had about 26 here for the ribbon cutting, and then I had probably about 20 more during the afternoon who stopped, and some even came by yesterday,” said Reeder. “The reception is exceeding my expectations, so far,” said Reeder. Reeder, and his wife, Angie, are both members of the 1990 Graduating class of Daingerfield High School, and had both been in Daingerfield most of their lives to that point. “We were always good friends through school, but we never dated until after we got out,” said Reeder, in regards to his wife. After graduation, Reeder attended Southern Arkansas University for a year, where he played football, but, he and Angie had begun dating, and she did not care for Arkansas, so they returned to Arlington. There, Reeder worked while Angie attended the University of Texas at Arlington. The pair gotten married during their sophomore year in college.

Following her graduation, the Reeders moved back to Daingerfield, where he worked for Nix, Patterson and Roach Law Firm. “Everyone kept telling me I should go to law school. But I thought my window of opportunity had passed,” said Reeder, because they had just had their first son. Reeder finally gave in to the suggestions, and they moved to Houston where he attended law school for three years. He then worked for five and a half years at the Gardeer Law Firm in Houston, before moving back to Tyler. In Tyler, Reeder worked for Freeman Mills, a firm which focused on the oil and gas business. When oil prices went up, Freeman Mills bought out a smaller firm in Midland, deep in the heart of Texas oil and gas country. Reeder and a lawyer from the Dallas Freeman Mills office transferred to Midland to oversee operations there. Reeder was in Midland for approximately three and a half years before oil prices began dropping. With industry in Midland slowing down, the Reeder’s decided it was time to return to East Texas. “This is home for us,” said Reeder, “so we took a leap of faith and opened a solo firm in our hometown.” Angie added, “I never knew I wanted to move back to Daingerfield, until we got back. Now, I am wondering what took so long.”

Reeder said it is exciting to have both his in-laws and his mother right here. There are also several of their classmates who still reside in the area, as well, and many attended the grand opening Reeder’s goal is to do whatever will serve the community the best, and has unexpectedly picked up three divorce cases in a short time. He plans to focus more on estate planning, including probate and wills, and banking law. He also is working with a couple of banking law clients, as well. Reeder does not fit the typical “lawyer” mold, in that he does not play golf. “Well, I do play golf, just not well,” Reeder said. His hobbies mostly revolve around his family, which, along with wife Angie, includes two sons, one of whom is a 21-year old senior at Texas Tech. Reeder’s younger son is in the eighth grade in Pittsburg ISD, which is where Angie is employed. Reeder also is an avid high school football fan, and even did some writing for The Old Coach’s Friday Night Football,” which is a high school football magazine.

Reeder’s office is located in the old Maberry Bat Homes building, at 361 U.S. Highway 259 South, beside The Next Level Pentecostal Church, and he can be contacted at 903- 399-4244.