MARTINSBURG — Former U.S. Attorney Bill Powell has joined Steptoe & Johnson's litigation department to work with business matters.
"My career has been blessed by continual opportunities to work with excellent lawyers," Powell said in an interview with The West Virginia Record. "That will be certainly true here at Steptoe & Johnson. I like working with teams of lawyers with a common purpose, and that will happen here. I will also get more 'hands-on' with cases I am working on."
Powell said he hopes the lessons he learned during his time as a U.S. attorney will carry over into his new position.
Powell
"I think every job I’ve had has given me new perspectives and taught me more about my strengths and weaknesses and those lessons are always helpful," Powell said. "My role as U.S. attorney also gave me the opportunity to really look at issues from a different perspective and learned to listen more and talk less. I’d like to think those lessons will carry over to my new position."
Powell has more than 30 years of litigation experience.
"I’ve handled everything from commercial litigation to professional liability cases, and most everything in-between," Powell said. "But, I will be working a good bit on the firm’s white-collar criminal and investigative practice. The firm already has several excellent lawyers doing that type of work, but I am hoping my background and experience will augment that team in a positive way."
Powell said he looks forward to working at Steptoe & Johnson.
"As our country slowly returns to normal I certainly look forward to our client’s businesses and the court system also returning to normal," Powell said. "I am excited to be at the front end of this recovery working with such a highly regarded law firm."
Powell was nominated by former President Donald Trump to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia in August 2017. He served in that position until February of this year.
Powell is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the ABA Bar Foundation, and the West Virginia Bar Foundation.
