Former United States Attorney William Powell Joins Steptoe & Johnson

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. – Former U.S. Attorney William J. Powell has joined the Martinsburg office of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC.  Powell will practice in the firm’s Litigation Department, focusing his practice on an array of business litigation matters. 

“I’m proud to welcome Bill to Steptoe & Johnson after a remarkable career in public service,” said Steptoe & Johnson CEO Christopher L. Slaughter.  “As U.S. Attorney, Bill represented the people of the United States in complex and consequential cases that involved some of the most pressing law enforcement issues of our time.  Bill is an excellent trial lawyer and will be a significant addition to our formidable team of bet-the-company litigators.”  

Powell was nominated by President 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 was the highest-ranking federal law enforcement officer in the Northern District of West Virginia, where he was responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district involving wire and mail fraud, identity theft, health care fraud, and pandemic-related criminal activities, among others.  He also served on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee on Fraud, Health Care and Opioids and served as vice chair for the Appalachia HIDTA, a program that enhances drug enforcement cooperation between local, state and federal agencies. 

Powell is the former chief deputy assistant prosecuting attorney for Jefferson County, West Virginia, within the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Statistical Area.  He practiced in the Felony Division, acting as the state’s representative in violent and major fraud crimes.  Prior to entering public service, he was in private practice in West Virginia, where he represented clients involved in business and commercial litigation, white collar crime, and professional liability litigation. 

Powell is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the ABA Bar Foundation, and the West Virginia Bar Foundation.  He earned his law degree from the West Virginia University College of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Salem College.   

About Steptoe & Johnson

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC is a law firm nationally recognized for its strengths in energy law with more than a century of know-how in the areas of business, labor and employment, and litigation.  Steptoe & Johnson has over 370 lawyers and other professionals practicing in 15 offices in Colorado, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.  Visit http://www.steptoe-johnson.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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