Mike West joined Fayad and Associates in 2007 as an immigration paralegal. Mike is a 1989 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a minor in Psychology. Mike has also earned a certificate in Paralegal Studies from Old Dominion University.

Mike has worked for a number of Richmond area law firms in the areas of criminal law, domestic law, bankruptcy law and general civil litigation. Mike has worked extensively in the area of criminal appeals, assisting in the research and drafting of numerous direct appeals as well as habeas corpus petitions. Since joining Fayad and Associates, Mike has worked on many family-based and employment-based cases, as well as drafting motions to Immigration Court and appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals.

In addition to his legal interests, Mike has a strong passion for linguistics and international cultural matters. Mike has a certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and has plans to someday travel to China to teach English. Mike has studied numerous languages including Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese and is proficient in Chinese and French.