S. Scott West – GEM of Fort Bend

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By Patti Parish-Kaminski –

Smart, aggressive, tenacious are characteristics often associated with attorneys. And, when you meet S. Scott West, you immediately recognize those traits.  But once you get to know this GEM of Fort Bend and his legacy of service, you recognize traits that are not normally associated with a personal injury trial lawyer. West is compassionate, insightful and downright tender. But make no mistake about this GEMS’ sensitive side; he’s above all else a passionate fighter and protector.

Born and raised in Houston, West’s childhood experiences laid the groundwork for his role as a protector, his steadfast determination to fight for the underdog and his sensitive side.  Man of the house by age ten, West attributes the development of these traits to his mother. “Whatever God gave me in the spirit of giving, caring and fighting for the underdog came from Him through my mother. Momma is very tender and emotional.  She sacrificed most everything she has ever had for her children. She’s non-confrontational and accommodating — until someone crosses one of her children. Then, you better find shelter.”

From an early age, West knew that he wanted to be a lawyer, but he also knew that he needed an undergraduate degree first.  While in high school, he got a copy of the Texas Blue Book, a legal directory of attorneys. “I started looking at the background of lawyers and found that most had business degrees.  I wanted to be different,” said West.  His undergraduate choice was a logical one given his childhood fascination with how things work.  “One Christmas when I was a young boy, I wanted tools. Momma got me plastic tools, and I threw a fit. I wanted real tools.”

From taking electrical outlets out of the wall to removing the oil pan from under his mother’s Buick, young West was intrigued by all things mechanical. A good student, he was able to graduate high school with two much-needed partial scholarship/grant offers: one from The University of Texas at Austin (UT), and another from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). “I borrowed money from my grandfather and took a bus to Cambridge, Massachusetts to tour the MIT campus,” recalled West. West ultimately chose UT because he felt Austin would provide a more diverse social and academic experience.

West graduated from South Texas College of Law in 1989 and began his career at a prominent personal injury law firm in Houston.  He quickly became a valuable asset to the firm litigating complex cases and prosecuting claims for catastrophic losses by doing what his momma taught him:  fighting for the underdog.

It was at this firm in 1990 when he met a young paralegal.  “I was in trial with my boss, and during the trial, he lost his paralegal –  she was fired. He found a new paralegal to interview, but my boss didn’t make it to the office, so I interviewed her for him.” This new paralegal impressed West, and she was hired.  That paralegal was named KK.

In 1992, Scott and KK were married.  By 1996, Scott had become a named partner in the firm, and KK had given birth to twin boys, Garret and Gunner, joining their sisters Tiffany and Maddi. KK had left the legal profession to become a full-time mom.

In 1997, Scott and KK started The West Law Firm out of a small office in Houston. They often worked 20 hours a day for the better part of a year to prepare one of his most complex cases for trial. The defendant was a formidable opponent:  General Motors. “It was a bunch of General Motors lawyers against me,” said West, “and I loved it.”  This did not deter West’s passion for fighting for justice.  “After a full day of jury selection in East Texas, enough money finally was offered to settle the case for my client, a young boy paralyzed by a defective seat belt system. We settled that case, and shortly thereafter, moved into a new office in Sugar Land. It truly was a David and Goliath victory, and one I will never forget.  KK was right there with me, and our kids slept on that office floor many nights.”

With a number of impressive victories under his belt that now included personal injury and commercial litigation, West continued to represent causes that made a difference in people’s lives. “The first commercial case I tried was very important to a small manufacturing company in north Houston.  One of their distributors had gone into competition with them in direct violation of their contract. We won the case and received a large monetary verdict along with a perpetual injunction to prevent other companies from competing with my client.”  This was yet another David and Goliath victory for West and his client, who he still stays in touch with today.

With the relocation of The West Law Firm closer to home, West began supporting the community where he had chosen to now work, live and raise his family. “Fort Bend County is special because of the sense of family, community, responsibility and pride. The overall spirit of excellence is unmatched by any community I’ve ever experienced,” said West.

The organizations that have West’s heart are naturally organizations that help the underdog, organizations such as the Fort Bend County Women’s Center where West was honored as Board Member of the Year in 2009. “Unfortunately in our society, many times women and children are the ones who end up being underdogs. I want to help those who can’t help themselves, which is why the Women’s Center is so important to me.”

West has served on the Women’s Center’s Council of Resources since 2006, and as a Board Member from 2008 – 2010. He has also served as a Board Member of Fort Bend Lawyers Care since its inception in 2007, an organization dedicated to providing legal services for individuals who cannot afford them. “Legal rights are vitally important,” said West. “I care about rights, I care about justice. That’s important to me.”

In addition to his board service, West participates in legal clinics for Fort Bend Lawyers Care, which help people from guardianship issues to adoptions to property rights, and he has served in event leadership roles with his wife, KK, who he says has inspired him to serve his community. “Unquestionably, my wife’s spirit and unfailing hospitality inspire many in our community – including me.”

As West has cited his wife as an encourager and inspiration, he does the same to instill leadership and service to his children. “Leadership is done by example,” said West. “That means when nobody is watching, what are you doing? Are you doing it the right way? Or, are you only doing it the right way when someone is watching?”

West’s legacy is that of a fighter – fighting to protect the underdog and fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves.  And, his philosophy of service is equally as straight-forward: “Do what you can, and don’t stop there. Whatever God’s gifts to you are, you should share with other people.  Whatever you don’t share is wasted.” For his ability and passion to fight for those in need and his willingness to share his gifts with so many, absolutely! Brazos and Fort Bend Focus Magazines are proud to honor S. Scott West as a GEM of Fort Bend.