Joseph B. Reafsnyder, a recent cum laude graduate of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphrey’s School of Law, has joined Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP as an associate. Reafsnyder will practice in commercial litigation and commercial real estate development. He formerly clerked for U.S. District Judge Jon P. McCalla.

Prior to enrolling in law school, Reafsnyder was a professional basketball player in the European Basketball League for more than eight years. He was a member of the Syracuse University men’s basketball team that lost in the 1996 national championship game to Kentucky.

Q: You were a basketball player before you enrolled in law school. What inspired you to make such a drastic change in your career?

A: It truly is a drastic change. When I was in undergraduate school at Syracuse University, I was majoring in political science, and I took constitutional law and judicial process courses, and those classes I … thoroughly enjoyed the subject matter. I decided that after graduating I was going to go to law school, because I really felt like that was another niche in life I found, besides basketball. However, the wonderful opportunity came to play professional basketball for a living for about eight and a half years. When I retired, I decided to go to law school. I really enjoyed my whole entire time in law school, and I’m looking forward to practicing law now.

Q: What drew you to litigation, particularly commercial litigation and real estate development?

A: Coming into law school initially, I wanted to do transactional work. My father was in the business world, and I had drafted some of my own contracts when I was playing basketball. But law school predominantly demonstrates that the practice of law is litigation-based. It’s a very competitive atmosphere, and with my athletic background and … stemming from the desire to win on the basketball court, I think that translates extremely well into the realm of litigation. As far as commercial real estate development, the real estate aspect didn’t grab my attention until I got into law school and started taking some property courses and real estate courses, and just really fell in love with the subject matter, and understood (it).

Q: As a young lawyer, have you felt welcomed by the Memphis legal community?

A: I have; I experienced a little bit of it last summer as a summer associate at a couple of firms. Then also being here – even so brief, as it has been only three weeks – just by other attorneys who have come into our offices, or by the attorneys here in my office, it’s just a very warm community. I expected that; that’s what everybody tells me, is that it’s very collegial and friendly; everybody is willing to help answer any questions you have. They understand you are new in this profession, and just starting out, you’re probably full of questions.

Q: What is one of the most important things you carry with you that you learned from your clerkship with Judge Jon McCalla?

A: I think what I take from him is to fully educate myself on the subject matter. He’d educate himself about anything and everything, not just things pertaining to a case in front of him. So I learned to educate and inform myself before I make an opinion, before I file a motion, before I file a complaint, before I argue in front of the court. It was clear, sometimes, that some people would not fully educate themselves on the issue prior to filing something with the court. It was great to see behind the works, because … working for a judge, you get to see everything, the process, what the judges and his clerks are going through and their process of making the decisions and the rulings on the cases.

Q: Besides playing basketball, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

A: I enjoy any type of athletic activity – golfing, watching college football – but now, the best thing I do is I get entertained 24 hours a day if I’m not working by my 18-month-old daughter. Any spare time I have on the weekend is (spent) going to the zoo, going to the park, hanging out with my family and my friends – they’re the ones that keep me sane.