William J . Powell
U . S . Attorney , Northern District of West Virginia
Photo by U . S . Department of Justice .
AMANDA LARCH
EVEN WITH 35 YEARS of legal experience under his belt , being appointed as a U . S . Attorney by President Donald Trump is the most memorable moment of William Powell ’ s career .
“ It was surreal in some ways ,” says Powell , who was appointed to the U . S . Attorney ’ s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia in 2017 . “ I ’ d thought about the position but never really expected it to be offered . It really turned out to be the pinnacle of my career .”
Powell is no stranger to leadership . He has served as president of the West Virginia Bar Association , a member of the board of governors for the West Virginia State Bar and a board member for the Eastern Panhandle Bar Association , Martinsburg-Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce and Martinsburg Sunrise Rotary . His leadership has been met with many accolades . He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers , American Bar Association and The West Virginia Bar Foundation and has been named Rotarian of the Year and Boy Scouts Citizen of the Year .
Powell utilizes all his prior leadership experience in his current appointment . He developed the motto “ One District , One Mission ” to ensure the northern district offices in Wheeling , Clarksburg , Elkins and Martinsburg all work together and day-to-day operations run seamlessly .
“ I want to ensure every member of the team knows the team includes all of us , no matter how many miles separate us ,” he says . “ I have tried to emphasize that we work together across locations whenever possible and support each other to get the job done .”
Powell has championed several U . S . Department of Justice initiatives over the past three years , including Project Safe Neighborhoods , which focuses on the issue of violent crime ; the Synthetic Opioid Surge , which targets the influx of fentanyl into West Virginia ; and Project Safe Child , which addresses the sexual exploitation of children .
Because he serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer in his district and leads more than 60 public servants , maintaining good relationships with
everyone , including law enforcement , is vital to his success , and he sets the tone and expectations for the district .
“ I educate myself on all the activities within the district , dive into actual cases I deem appropriate to do so and work with all the various law enforcement and other government agencies ,” he says . “ My favorite part of the position is when our office and the agencies we work with are in total sync and get important work done for the district . We are blessed in this district with dedicated men and women who do difficult , and often dangerous , work .”
A New York native , Powell attended Salem College for undergrad , where he quickly fell in love with the Mountain State and its people , and went on to attend the West Virginia University College of Law .
“ The beauty , lack of crowds and warmth of the people sealed the deal ,” he says . “ I never looked back , much to the surprise of my New York friends and relatives . I love West Virginia and the life my wife and I created for our family . I wanted to make a difference in whatever I did , and the legal profession in West Virginia has given me that opportunity .” •
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE