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Spencer Fane, Office Managing Partner Julia M. Vander Weele
Spencer Fane
Staff Report//October 10, 2025//
Kansas City
Julia M. Vander Weele brings 31 years of legal practice experience to her leadership role at Spencer Fane in Kansas City.
Vander Weele focuses her management approach on supporting the firm’s legal and professional staff while fostering an inclusive workplace culture. “I think one of the most important aspects of my role is focusing on integration and support for our lawyers and professional staff,” she said. She emphasizes modeling firm values and promoting a collegial environment throughout the Kansas City office.
Managing the dual demands of leadership and active legal practice requires careful time allocation. Vander Weele commits time at the beginning of each day to prioritize client projects, then utilizes lunch hours and evenings for internal leadership communications and activities. She identified developing young lawyers in the post-COVID remote work environment as her primary challenge, noting the significant reduction in real-time mentoring opportunities that have traditionally supported attorney development and professional growth.
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