Tony Box: A Different Kind of Lawyer

Box joined the FBI and served as a special agent for nine years. His focus was primarily on white-collar crime. He also trained as a forensic computer examiner, developing highly technical investigative skills that would later shape his legal career.

During his time with the Bureau, agents uncovered a murder-for-hire plot targeting him. A white supremacist was recorded using slurs and discussing payment for Box’s death. The threat was so serious that the FBI offered to relocate him and his family, but he declined, determined to finish the cases he was working and raise his family in a stable community.

Box says one of the most valuable lessons he learned at the FBI was how to truly listen to and read people, especially when they aren’t being honest. “I’m pretty good at telling when someone’s lying to me. As a lawyer, I work every day with clients and witnesses who may not want me to know the full story. I rely heavily on the skills I learned at the FBI,” he says.

While serving as a special agent, Box attended law school at night. Encouraged strongly by his wife, he decided to pursue a career in law, which was a path that allowed him to combine analytical skill with public service.

His legal practice is strengthened by the fact that he is also a licensed CPA with deep experience handling complex, high-dollar financial matters. As a senior investigator for a Big Four accounting firm, he traveled globally to address financial issues at multimillion- and billion-dollar companies.

“I understand balance sheets, income statements, cash-flow statements — virtually every financial element of a case,” Box says. “Few attorneys can say that. The numbers are like a second language to me.”

Box also served twice in the U.S. Army. His military journey began in college, when he joined ROTC his freshman year. After graduation, he became a tank commander and later served in Iraq and Afghanistan. When he applied to the FBI, he faced a difficult choice because agents could not remain in the Reserves, so he stepped away. After earning his law degree and completing his FBI service, he returned to the Army as a JAG officer, becoming part of what is often called “America’s oldest law firm.”

“Really, I was a force multiplier,” Box says. “I helped combat soldiers do their jobs by removing the legal worries occupying their headspace. That’s where I discovered the joy of truly helping someone through the law, and I carry that into my work today.”