Jeffrey H. Powell
Bio
Jeffrey Powell is a Partner at Reno & Zahm LLP. He has extensive experience representing business clients in commercial matters, including advising on organizational and governance issues, drafting and reviewing contracts, litigating contract disputes, consulting on the purchase and sale of businesses, and assisting with human resource matters.
Mr. Powell has significant experience with employee-related matters, including advising on discipline, terminations, sexual harassment training and investigations, policies and procedures, and compliance with federal and state employment laws. As part of this practice, Mr. Powell regularly drafts and consults on employee handbooks and related policies, employment agreements, confidentiality agreements, non-competition provisions, and non-solicitation agreements.
Mr. Powell has represented employees and management litigating employment disputes in federal court, state court and administrative hearings. This experience includes litigating employment cases involving wrongful termination, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliatory discharge, wage and hour disputes, unemployment, breach of contract, restrictive covenants, trade secret theft, and embezzlement.
Mr. Powell graduated magna cum laude from Northern Illinois University College of Law in 2008, where he was a member of the Board of Editors for the Law Review. His note “Marshall v. Burger King Corp.: Making a Mess of ‘Duty’ for Businesses in Illinois” was published in the Northern Illinois University Law Review and has been cited by several appellate courts.
Before attending law school, he gained experience as a consultant at CRA International, a leading global consulting firm, where he was involved in a broad range of financial and economic engagements, including the evaluation of damages in intellectual property and anti-trust disputes.
Mr. Powell is active in the community. He is a former President and Director of the Golden Apple Foundation. He also served as a Director for the Rockford Area Arts Council and the Winnebago County Bar Association.
Mr. Powell is licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois. He has also been admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of Illinois, the Central District of Illinois, and the Western District of Wisconsin. Mr. Powell is also a member of the Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois.