Sandra Henson Kinney
Attorney , Bailey & Glasser LLP
To me , success is more than just winning cases . It ’ s about the quality of your work in and out of the courtroom .”
Photo by Rick Lee .
BY SAMANTHA CART . Even though Sandra Kinney , an attorney at Bailey & Glasser LLP , has been practicing law for more than 20 years , she will never forget her first day at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law .
“ The first day of law school , the first class , and I was the person called on ,” she remembers . “ It was terrifying . I didn ’ t know what to do . Was I supposed to stand up when I answered the question ? I couldn ’ t stand up because I felt like I ’ d been struck by lightning . But I survived .”
And it ’ s a good thing she did , because Kinney has been a vital asset to the Mountain State , particularly through her work with Legal Aid of West Virginia ( LAWV ).
“ I went to law school because I wanted to help people , and that has guided my career choices over the years ,” she says . “ After an internship with the United Automobile Workers in Detroit , I knew I wanted to pursue a career in union-side labor law , and that ’ s what brought me to West Virginia .”
Kinney ’ s work with LAWV , the state ’ s primary provider of civil legal aid and advocacy services , is well known , and in this role she demonstrated the hallmark of a true leader , working behind the scenes to ensure the well-being of others .
“ Representing victims of domestic violence in family court was the most fulfilling part of my job at LAWV ,” she says . “ I had to learn perspective and remember that my clients ’ experiences were not my experiences . My clients shared their most raw and personal stories with me and trusted me to fight for them . It was my job to be strong for them , and they deserved it . I really can ’ t imagine any more powerful work .”
During her time at LAWV , Kinney arranged ask-a-lawyer sessions for domestic violence victims , represented homeless veterans , provided outreach to veterans and organizations that serve veterans and planned and implemented LAWV ’ s expansion of veterans ’ services throughout the state .
Today , as an attorney at Bailey & Glasser , Kinney is working on wage and hour cases and consumer class actions brought to protect the rights of West Virginians . “ Because a class action can remedy systemic wrongs afflicting thousands of people , these cases have the potential not only to help those victimized by illegal conduct but bring marketplace abuses to light and change or even completely eliminate them ,” she says .
Kinney is admittedly motivated by a strong desire to win , serve her clients and learn new things .
“ To me , success is more than just winning cases ,” she says . “ It ’ s about the quality of your work in and out of the courtroom . I treat all my clients with the same level of respect , whether an indigent person , corporate officer or agency head . Because I am patient and willing to listen , I am able to make genuine connections and build good relationships .”
That ability to form meaningful relationships led Kinney to create West Virginia Women Attorneys ( WVWA ), a network of female lawyers who share business development ideas and establish mentoring relationships , in 2016 . The group is now a member organization of the National Conference of Women ’ s Bar Associations . In under a year , WVWA has grown to include over 600 members and , under Kinney ’ s leadership , is in the development stages of becoming a 501 ( c )( 6 ) business league .
“ My goal with the WVWA is to address the variety of issues that women from diverse backgrounds find important and make West Virginia a better place to practice law for all women ,” she says .
Kinney has also been a highly effective advocate in a variety of other roles . In addition to serving as a legal aid attorney , she has worked as an assistant state attorney general for civil rights , an assistant U . S . attorney in the civil division and in private practice , and she currently chairs the West Virginia State Bar Association ’ s newly formed Women in the Law committee . She is also heavily involved with the Blessed Sacrament Church in South Charleston , where she has served as a Eucharistic minister , Sunday school teacher , camp counselor , chair of the St . Maria Goretti Guild and a member of the marriage preparation team and parish pastoral council .
Of all her many roles , Kinney stresses that her family is her greatest success , and her career is the cherry on top . “ I ’ ve been able to shape my work around family life and as a complement to it ,” she says . “ My goal has always been to do good work and challenge myself intellectually , and I feel like I ’ m accomplishing that .” •
Kinney with fellow Camp Leon volunteers in 2015 .
102
WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE