Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
By Kristen Uppercue
Haley Bunn’s love of the Mountain State and its sense of community began while she was being raised in a Southern West Virginia coal mining family and homeschooled by her mother.
“Some of my fondest memories are gardening with my grandad, enjoying the spoils of fresh summer cucumbers, tomatoes, corn and green beans and canning the most delicious pickled corn, beets and fresh tomato juice with my nana,” Bunn says.
Her father’s career as a coal mining engineer often took him on projects outside of the county, giving her family opportunities to live in other parts of the state and region—sometimes even as far from home as Australia.
“The early opportunity to travel and experience other parts of the state, country and world while still maintaining deep roots at home really shaped who I am today,” she says.
Bunn currently serves as one of five justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, making her the youngest woman and second youngest person to do so.
It was in middle school that she first took an interest in law, prompting her father to coordinate an interview with a lawyer friend about the field.
“I was immediately enamored with the role of an advocate who applies the law to help a client and come to a just result,” she says.
While living in New South Wales as a teen, Bunn enrolled in psychology classes at the University of Wollongong before applying to her school of choice: West Virginia University (WVU).
“I knew from an early age that I wanted to attend WVU, as I had grown up with a deep love for the Mountaineers and Morgantown through my parents,” she says.
She completed undergrad with a dual major in political science and psychology before continuing her education at the WVU College of Law, graduating in 2010.
“It felt like a privilege to be studying and discussing the rule of law and its unique, central role in our United States,” she says. “When I applied to law school and even right after I graduated, I didn’t appreciate how much my job satisfaction would depend on whether I was having a positive impact on my community and the state.”
While in law school, she met her husband, Joe, and formed important friendships with classmates.
“I think the challenges of law school really set the stage for you to find the people who will shape your life for years to come,” she says.
Bunn’s first job in the field was at the civil defense firm Steptoe & Johnson, where she learned many valuable skills, particularly in litigation.
“I was given opportunities to jump into the throes of depositions and hearings very early on,” she says. “Those opportunities helped me learn how to think on my feet and advocate well through motions and briefings.”
Bunn quickly felt a call to work in public service, particularly wanting to help curb the effects of the state’s opioid epidemic. To answer that call, she transitioned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, where she prosecuted violent crime and drug cases with a specific focus on opioid diversion and related fraud by health care providers. There, she says she honed her trial skills and appellate advocacy skills and, most importantly, learned that the polar star for the practice of law is to do justice and let the rule of law prevail.
After serving there for eight years, she returned to Steptoe & Johnson before being appointed to her current position.
The state Supreme Court handles a plethora of cases, often seeing criminal, administrative, abuse and neglect and civil cases all in a single day. The court also oversees administrative matters within its branch of government, which employs nearly 1,600 people.
“The best part of this job is that my only goal is to do justice,” Bunn says. “While it is often a heavy burden and decisions can be difficult, knowing I get to be a small part of upholding the rule of law in our society is incredibly rewarding. It is a humbling honor to work for the people of West Virginia every day.”
Bunn has had many mentors throughout her career, starting with her parents.
“My parents are the best examples of living out the values of a strong sense of justice, commitment to integrity and unwavering work ethic,” she says.
There were also many strong female lawyers who stepped up to offer her guidance early in her career and lead by example, including the late Honorable Joanna Tabit.
“Joanna taught me so much, including that you could be a zealous advocate but still a nice person, you could be strategic but speak with complete honesty and integrity and, finally, the way you treat people is what they will remember forever,” she says.
Bunn hopes through her career she will inspire the next generation of public service leaders.
“As the youngest woman and second youngest person ever elected to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, I hope I have broken down some real and perceived barriers for young people and young women in particular who are interested in jumping into public service and other areas of leadership in our state,” she says.
Bunn offers career mentorship to young students and professionals, and the Supreme Court justices also dedicate themselves to civics education by presenting on the court system and rule of law at schools throughout the state. They also participate in the Legal Advancement for West Virginia Students Program, a partnership between the court system, bar, schools and community to educate young West Virginians about the judicial branch of government. The Judicial Learning Center also offers exhibits on the history and role of the judicial branch via hands-on activities designed for school-aged children and adults.
“I hope we inspire some of those young folks to get involved with their communities, whether it be in the legal field or elsewhere,” Bunn says.
Her greatest professional honor to date was having nearly 250,000 West Virginians vote for her full 12-year term as justice. Bunn was recently nominated to serve on the National Conference of Bar Examiners Justices’ Advisory Group and is active in her daughters’ school and at Bible Center Church. She says her inspiration stems from ensuring she does all she can to uphold the rule of law to better the state for the next generation, including her own daughters.
Bunn and her family reside in Charleston, and she wouldn’t want to raise her family anywhere other than West Virginia as the quality of life, caliber of people and natural beauty among the hills are unmatched. She enjoys that in her career and personal life, there’s always more to learn, do and refine.
“I learn something from my colleagues every time we discuss a case or take up an administrative issue, and I learn from my children each day that I am privileged to be their mother,” she says. “I’ll continue to strive to be the best judge, mom, wife and friend that I can be.”
