Donald Louis West, Jr. (born Donald Abdulla West[1] on February 16, 1974 in Abington, Pennsylvania) is an African American attorney and entrepreneur whose legal practice covers estate planning, sports law, business law and corporate law, entertainment law, intellectual property, government consulting and representation of high visibility clients and entities.
He has been awarded a Trust and Estates Fellowship by the American Bar Association.[2] He is the cousin of New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson.
West graduated from the B.O.O.S.T. program in 1993, was honorably discharged from active duty and awarded an Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship to attend Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida where he was a student-athlete. He was a track teammate and close friend of NFL running back Warrick Dunn
West earned a Juris Doctor degree in 2000 from the University of Miami School of Law in Coral Gables, Florida, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the Florida State University in 1996. While attending Florida State University, West was a 3-year varsity letterman in track & field in the 110m hurdles and sprints and a member of the University's 1994 Atlantic Coast Conference Champion Indoor Men's Track Team.
In both 1998 and 1999, West clerked for the Miami-based law firm of Shutts & Bowen and the Newport Beach, California law offices of Leigh Steinberg & Jeff Moorad. As a law student at the University of Miami School of Law, West served as a member of the Moot Court Board, President of the Student Bar Association, and Son-of-Chief in the Iron Arrow Honor Society, the University of Miami's highest honor. He also was a recipient of the Society of Bar & Gavel's "Roger Sorino Memorial Award" as the school's most outstanding graduating law student in 2000.
Professional Career.
West has over 10 years experience as an advisor in the sports and entertainment industry. Upon graduating from the University of Miami School of Law, he joined the legislative staff of Florida State Senator Daryl Jones, (Miami, FL), as Chief of Staff & Staff Counsel. West graduated from the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Miami program in 2001.
West served as Director of Football Operations (2001-2002), for Newport Beach, California based sports business pioneer Leigh Steinberg and the Canada-based Assante Sports Management Group operating under the name Steinberg, Moorad & Dunn. During West's tenure with Steinberg, the duo negotiated over $65 million in contracts including a $35 million rookie contract for Leonard Davis, the 2nd overall NFL draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2001, and a $28.5 million free agency NFL contract for Warrick Dunn with the Atlanta Falcons. West and Steinberg also negotiated the trade that sent NFL running back Ricky Williams from the New Orleans Saints to the Miami Dolphins.
In 2003, West returned to the University of Miami School of Law as an Adjunct Professor of Law, teaching "Athletics & the Law," a survey course examining the application of U.S. laws across the sports industry.
Also in 2003, West started his own sports management practice under the name Revolution Sports Management, and represented the number three overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, Andre Johnson of the Houston Texans. West negotiated a $39 million dollar contract package for the Texans' rookie wide-receiver and procured a $13.501 million dollar signing bonus[4].
In 2005, West appeared on Spike TV's reality show Super Agent[5] as one of nine sports agents seeking to represent NFL draft prospect Shaun Cody. West did not develop a strong chemistry with Cody and was eliminated during the show's fourth episode. West has worked with many former Florida State Seminoles, including offensive guard Matt Meinrod and former NCAA National Shot Put Champion and Rhodes Scholar Garrett Johnson. West currently serves as general counsel to Q2 Sports & Entertainment[6] a Miami-based representation agency.
West is an author and lectures in the areas of legacy planning, generational wealth planning, business succession and estate planning at universities and law schools across the United States and serves as a keynote speaker to many organizations and corporations.
He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia and Miami, Florida.
Mass media & public reference
Books
* A Guide to Crafting Personal Legacy Statements: An Ancient Tool of the Thoughtful, Wealthy & Wise[7] by Don West, Jr. and Dr. Tim Morrison released November 2008 by the Axis Publishing Company, LLC. ISBN 978-0-9822479-0-7.
Magazines
* West was featured as a sports attorney in the January 2002 edition of The National Jurist Magazine, a monthly publication distributed on law school campuses nationwide in an article exploring non-traditional legal careers titled "Different Strokes for your J.D."
Television
* West appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show on April 1, 2001 in a segment for The Angel Network, where NFL running back Warrick Dunn was a surprise guest, unaware West had set him up for the appearance to be honored by Winfrey and one of the single parents assisted by Dunn's Homes for the Holidays Program, which is funded and operated by the Warrick Dunn Foundation.
* West appeared as himself in Spike TV's 2005 reality documentary Super Agent, which first aired on July 22, 2005.
