Work History. Managing Member, Spruell &
Powell, L.L.C. and co-owner of the Main Avenue Title
Company, 2002- present; self employed Attorney, 1995
- 2001; Assistant Dean and Director of Law Development,
University of Alabama School of Law; 1988- 1994; Associate,
Phelps, Jenkins, Gibson & Fowler, 1983-1988.
Experience. Broad based general litigation
practice for both plaintiffs and defendants including
construction, real property, torts, commercial, employment,
and insurance law. Practice focuses on employment
and corporate law (primarily small business), insurance
and general litigation, contracts, torts and education
law (especially in the area of IDEA/ special education).
Also includes active alternative dispute practice,
including mediations (roughly 10 a year) and arbitrations
(roughly three a year.)
Alternative Dispute Resolution Experience.
Represented parties in arbitration and mediation cases.
Court-appointed mediator and arbitrator selected by
parties in litigation matters such as wrongful death,
domestic relations, employment, tort claims, workers
compensation and contracts (real property and business.)
Professional Licenses. Admitted to the Bar:
Alabama, 1983; U.S. District Court, Northern (1984),
Southern (1984), and Middle (1994) Districts of Alabama;
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 1985; U.S.
Supreme Court, 1986. Member, Commercial panel, American
Arbitration Association, 1998 -).
Professional Associations. Alabama State
Bar Association; American Bar Association; Alabama
Defense Lawyers Association (Member, Board of Directors,
2001- ); Alabama Academy of Attorney Mediators (Charter
member); Supreme Court Commission on Alternative Dispute
Resolution (Charter member and served as Secretary
for first two years); Tuscaloosa County Bar Association
(Past President, Tuscaloosa County Bar Association);
Adjunct Professor, University of Alabama Law School,
1991 - 2002 (Trial Advocacy.)
Personal. Joe Powell is a lifelong resident of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and a graduate of its public school system and The University of Alabama (B.A. 1993, J.D. 1997). He is married to the former Stephanie Michelle Ryan (Mikki) of Guntersville, Alabama. Mikki earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education from the University of Alabama with honors, is Certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards®, and is a 3rd grade teacher at Rock Quarry Elementary School. Joe and Mikki have two sons, Jack and Max.
Professional Profile. Joe is admitted to practice before all Alabama State Courts and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Alabama. Agent for Chicago Title Insurance Company. Commissioned and Bonded Notary Public for the State of Alabama at Large.
Work History. Attorney/Partner at Spruell & Powell, LLC and President of Main Avenue Title Company, Inc., 2001-present; Watson, deGraffenried, Hardin & Tyra, LLP 1998 – 2001; elected member of the Tuscaloosa City Council, October 1997 – October 2005 (Two terms); Law School: Legal Counsel for the Elderly - Fall 1997, Extern for Hon. Ronald P. Thompson, District Attorney, 27th Judicial Circuit (Marshall County, Alabama) - Summer 1997, Law clerk for Hon. Philip N. Lisenby, Circuit Judge, 6th Judicial Circuit (Tuscaloosa County, Alabama) - Spring 1997; Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, 1996; Capitol Intern with U.S. Representative Claude Harris, Jr., Summer 1991; Working partner and shareholder for Moma Jewel’s Country Cookin, Inc., 1987 – 1994 (family business).
Practice Emphasis. Joe concentrates his law practice in the following areas: Business and Commercial Law - contract preparation and review, representation in the purchase and sale of business organizations, collection of debts to businesses and individuals, formation and planning of new business entities, representation in private and commercial real estate transactions, business succession and continuation planning, closing agent for financial institutions, title research and insurance commitments, general corporate counsel; Family Law - representation in adoption proceedings, divorce, alimony, child custody and visitation litigation, preparation of marital agreements, counsel for juveniles and their parents in delinquency and dependency matters; Probate Law - estate planning and administration, representation in competency hearings, guardianships and conservatorships, preparation of wills, trusts, powers of attorney and advance directives for health care.
Affiliations. Joe is involved in the life of our community in a variety of ways. Northport Baptist Church – Sunday School Member, Upward® Basketball Coach; Ordained a Deacon in 1995 at Calvary Baptist Church; Kiwanis Club of Greater Tuscaloosa - Senior Life Member, Past President; Exchange Club of Tuscaloosa - Past President, George A. LeMaistre Society Member, Foundation President; Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, Member and former Legal Counsel; Tuscaloosa County and Alabama Bar Associations; Alabama Bar Leadership Forum – Class II; University of Alabama Carl A. Elliott Society, Senior Member (inducted 1994); Tuscaloosa County Junior Miss, Inc. - Board of Directors and Finance Committee.
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