Founder & Owner, Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, LC
Photo by Steve Spencer, Spencer Imageworks
By Megan Bevins
For Jan Dils, founder and owner of Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, LC, helping people has always been the goal.
Born and raised in Parkersburg, WV, Dils grew up in a family who worked in the automotive business. However, after a personal experience with a close family member, she was inspired to choose a different career path.
As a child, Dils watched as her aunt, who was in failing health, was denied Social Security disability. The stress and disappointment Dils observed left a lasting impression on her and urged her to help others in similar situations get the assistance they need.
“From a young age and through this very moment, I’ve always wanted to help people who need someone on their side and who need someone to fight for them,” she says.
Dils pursued her undergraduate degree in economics and marketing from Marietta College, graduating in 1990. She then earned a Master of Business Administration from West Virginia University (WVU) in 1991 before attending law school at WVU College of Law, where she graduated in 1994.
Growing up with parents who were both business owners helped Dils realize at a young age that she would best fit in a work environment where she could make her own decisions.
Early in her career, she worked for an attorney who stopped practicing shortly after she began the job, causing her to move on to another position. There, she practiced alongside two attorneys whose marketing styles did not align with hers. After leaving that position, she decided to open her own firm.
“I wanted the opportunity to run my practice exactly how I wanted, the way I wanted to progressively market it,” she says. “So, due to life circumstances and the passion to run my own business, I went out on my own early in my career.”
The firm initially focused solely on Social Security Disability law to help those in the same situation her aunt faced years before. Over time, she expanded her practice to include Veterans
Disability and personal injury law.
“Fighting for disability claims and personal injury cases is something I’ve done every day for 30 years, but for those who are disabled or injured, it’s an unfamiliar and scary space to navigate,” Dils says. “I love advocating for my clients and getting them the benefits they deserve.”
Being a leader in a male-dominated field, Dils often found herself the only woman in the room, which she saw as both motivational and challenging. Rather than shy away from obstacles, she focused on the needs of her clients and used that as fuel to succeed.
“Since I was a child, I have had a strong determination to do whatever I have my mind set on,” she says. “I have exceptional perseverance to see things through to completion. Of course, I believe in what is just and right, which is why I continue to fight inside and out of the courtroom to get clients the benefits they deserve.”
Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, LC, has recently been named the largest female-founded law firm in the country. As a female trailblazer, Dils recognizes the successful women who came before her, laying a foundation for her to achieve great things. She hopes to inspire and encourage future leaders to reach their full potential as well.
One way Dils does this is by acting as a mentor. She participates in multiple industry peer groups where she shares her knowledge, experiences, tools, ideas and business assets. Additionally, she has worked with college students at her firm to help them gain valuable experience.
“I strive daily to share my knowledge to prepare the next generation, equipping and empowering them to be successful,” she says.
In addition to mentoring, community service holds high importance for Dils. In fact, it has been integrated into the core values of the firm.
In 2018, Dils, along with her husband Chuck Hughes, formed the Jan Dils Foundation. The idea for the foundation started when Dils formed a team for the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Wanting to take her community service further, she started her own annual walk, Walk4Vets, in 2011 to benefit local veteran organizations.
These projects then inspired her to create the Jan Dils Foundation.
“Because of the passion and energy behind these prior annual projects, they grew and transformed into the Jan Dils Foundation, with our annual Freedom Fun Run 5K being one of our largest events that supports the foundation each year,” Dils says. “We had the energy and structure and felt that by managing the organization and events ourselves, we could make a greater community impact.”
With funds from both the foundation and the firm, Dils supports and sponsors many community organizations, including Operation Transportation, which provides veterans in Charleston and Parkersburg with free bus passes. The foundation also hosts the Veterans Appreciation Spaghetti Dinner, which offers a free meal to veterans annually on the Thursday before Veterans Day.
Dils serves as a mastermind member for the Personal Injury Lawyers Marketing & Management Association and belongs to Crisp, Inc. and the Social Security Disability Leadership Group.
“Giving back to our community and allowing my team members to participate and give back is a priority for me,” she says.
Dils holds a strong love for her hometown, Parkersburg, whose tight-knit community has been supportive of her throughout her entire career.
“I have been shown much love and support here. It is both my honor and pleasure to live and work in this great state,” she says.
Despite her busy professional life, Dils makes sure to enjoy her free time. She loves to get outdoors, walking, golfing or playing pickleball. She also enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and watching sports, especially the Mountaineers.
Through her commitment to helping others and her relentless drive, Dils has built a legacy that extends beyond her legal practice—going from a young girl in Parkersburg to leading the largest female-founded law firm in the country. She continues to inspire those around her with her dedication and passion for making a difference in the lives of others.
