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 handson 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.” •
WWW. WVEXECUTIVE. COM SUMMER 2025 101