David D Powell Jr

Practice Areas

Employment Law - Litigation, Compliance, Investigations, Non-Compete and Non-Solicitation

Career

David D. Powell, Jr. is a partner in the firm’s Denver office, focusing his practice on employment and commercial litigation. Before co-founding the firm with his colleagues in 2023, David served as a Deputy Attorney General in the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, managing the eight separate legal units comprising the State Services Section. In this role, he oversaw those responsible for representing the state’s key elected officials and providing legal services in the areas of health care, human services, K-12 and higher education, state contracts and procurement, labor, and public utilities.

Prior to his work at the AG’s Office, David was an equity partner in two prominent Denver-based full-service law firms and a well-known national labor and employment law firm. During this time, his practice focused mainly on representing employers in employment litigation matters, conducting internal investigations, and advising employers on the myriad of legal issues impacting the employer-employee relationship.

David attended the UCLA School of Law and was a Managing Editor of the UCLA Law Review. Following graduation, he served as a law clerk for the Honorable John L. Kane, Jr. in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, which inspired him to focus his legal practice on trial work.

After completing his clerkship, David worked as a Deputy District Attorney in the Denver District Attorney’s Office, gaining valuable trial experience by prosecuting misdemeanor and felony criminal cases.

Following his stint as a prosecutor, he entered private practice in 1990. For the next thirty years, he acquired significant experience litigating employment and commercial cases on behalf of employers in various industries. During this time, he tried to verdict several notable employment-related cases.

In addition to his experience handling trials in the employment arena, David has significant experience defending and pursuing claims for injunctive relief related to enforcing non-compete agreements and other restrictive covenants.

Professional Memberships

-International Society of Barristers, Board of Directors, Member

-American Board of Trial Advocates, Colorado Chapter, Member

Work Highlights

Former Deputy Attorney General of the State Services Section in the Colorado Attorney General’s Office

Former member of the Board of Directors of Ogletree Deakins, a national labor and employment law firm

Deputy District Attorney, Denver District Attorney’s Office

Former Law Clerk for the Honorable John L. Kane, Jr. Senior Judge, United States District Court for the District of Colorado

Managing Editor of Vol. 30 of the UCLA Law Review

Education

Awards