Join us for the kickoff of NEA Big Read: Lawton 2026, a community-wide celebration centered on Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Explore the novel’s themes of justice, courage, empathy, prejudice, and community responsibility through conversation, activities, and events throughout October. The kickoff features Lawton attorney Neil West, plus food inspired by the book, free copies of To Kill a Mockingbird, and free Big Read T-shirts while supplies last.
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Neil West has called Lawton home for more than 25 years and has built a career centered on law, public service, and community involvement. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government from New Mexico State University in 1991 and his Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 1997.
During nearly three decades of legal practice, Neil has worked on both sides of the courtroom and across a broad range of criminal and civil matters. His career has included service as an Assistant City Attorney and City Prosecutor for the City of Lawton, an Assistant District Attorney and Mental Health Court Coordinator for Comanche County, a public defender with the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System, and an attorney in private practice. Early in his career, he also served as a judge and longtime board president for Teen Court, mentoring young attorneys and helping juvenile offenders learn accountability and responsibility through the justice system.
Outside the courtroom, Neil has been deeply involved in the arts and civic life of Southwest Oklahoma. A veteran community theatre performer and musician, he has performed with Lawton Community Theatre, Southwest Pride Barbershop Chorus, the Lawton Philharmonic Chorus, and other local ensembles. He has also written and produced musical revues and served in leadership roles with numerous community and charitable organizations. In 2013, he received the Lawton Arts and Humanities Council’s Citizen of the Arts Award in recognition of his service to local arts organizations.
Neil is married to Lacy Reed-West, vocal music director at Eisenhower Middle and High Schools. His combination of legal experience, public service, and lifelong involvement in the arts brings a unique perspective to this year’s Big Read and its exploration of To Kill a Mockingbird—a story that continues to invite conversations about justice, community, empathy, and the responsibilities we have toward one another.