JENNIFER WEST

Ever since she was a child, Jennifer West knew she wanted to be a lawyer.

“I always felt like advocating for others was going to be my calling,” she says. And now she serves as president at Richmond-based Spotts Fain, where she also heads up the law firm’s pro bono practice and community outreach activities. Although she’s a creditors’ rights attorney, she also feels compelled to work on the other side of the issue.

“I do a lot of work where I’m collecting bad debt, working in the bankruptcy world, and I see people at their worst,” she says. “I do a lot of pro bono work almost to balance out my moral compass.” For her, pro bono work is both a responsibility and privilege, she says.

West is also president-elect of the Richmond Bar Association, with which she’s been involved for more than 20 years. As president-elect, she’s responsible for overseeing programming and member appreciation — but also mentors attorneys, paralegals, staff and other legal professionals.

As a woman in the legal industry, West’s biggest advice is to “keep going,” even in a field that’s still largely male-dominated.

“Keep showing up,” she says. “People notice what you’re doing. Keep supporting other women.
We as women owe it to one another to do everything we can to support each other.”

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