U.S. Attorney, Northern District of West Virginia
By 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.”
