Page 4 - Scott Powell

Personal communication has always been his strong suit. Powell, who holds a master’s degree in diplomacy, was a national champion negotiator in law school. He and his partner won the ABA Law Student Negotiation National Championship competition in 2007. He says, “Each case is essentially a negotiation that begins with an injury or dispute and usually ends with a payment. The key is to gain as much leverage as possible in the time between those two events.”
Knowing Both Sides of the Table
Powell says one of the key advantages he brings to the table is the knowledge and experience he gained, as he says, “working on the other side of the table.”
“I started on the defense side, and had the privilege of being trained by excellent defense lawyers. Because of that experience, I have a good idea of what’s happening on the other side at any given time in a case. I try to use that to my advantage,” he says. “It’s something that differentiates me from other plaintiffs’ lawyers.”
What also differentiates Powell from many of his competitors is the breadth of his practice. Although more than half of his practice is devoted to plaintiff’s personal injury and medical malpractice, he also devotes a significant percentage of time to business disputes, civil rights litigation, and complex family law matters. “These are practice areas I picked up at one time or another, which I enjoy and am passionate about. I like to keep a lot of different irons in the fire. It keeps things interesting.”
Powell also believes his experience in each practice area provides helpful insight to each of the others. “I’ve been the go to guy for miscellaneous legal questions at every place I’ve worked. I am the curious type, which has resulted in me having my hands in a lot of different things,” Powell says.
A Career for Planning and Building
“The law intrigued me as a career option because it’s a business I can plan and build. I’m a plan and build person. Moving around from company to company, moving around the country, it’s just not for me. Also, the law, and plaintiffs’ work specifically, is outcome-driven. I would have a hard time surviving in any job that is not outcome driven,” Powell says.
He earned his B.A. from the University of Kentucky, College of Arts and Sciences; his M.A. from the University of Kentucky Patterson School of Diplomacy; and his J.D. from the University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law.
Contact Information
The Law Office of Scott Emerson Powell 239 South 5th St.
Suite 1400
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 609-6881 [email protected]