J.C. Powell has been practicing law for 43 years. He was a founding member of Powell & Majestro, PLLC in 2002.

J.C. Powell graduated from West Virginia University College of Engineering with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. After working in quality control and management at a local chemical plant, he returned to West Virginia University and entered the College of Law.

J.C. Powell is a third-generation lawyer whose family started practicing law in West Virginia along the Ohio River during World War I. During the past 100 years his family has been actively involved in public service. When beginning his legal career with his father in Parkersburg, West Virginia, he handled all phases of the general practice of law from oil and gas title examinations to investigating and litigating auto crashes to handling family relations to litigating complicated criminal trials and related appeals.

In 1994, Mr. Powell successfully litigated a motor vehicle fuel tank case resulting in the largest defective product settlement at the time in the area.

As a founding member of Powell & Majestro, he has continued to prosecute medical malpractice matters and defective products cases, including West Virginia class actions involving breast implants and Fen-Phen.

In the breast implant litigation, Mr. Powell helped his clients navigate the Settlement Facility Dow Corning Trust (SFDCT) following Dow Corning’s bankruptcy. For over 20 years, Mr. Powell and staff assisted our clients in recovering settlement funds from the Trust, with the remaining settlement funds being issued in 2020.

Mr. Powell also successfully represented many clients who developed cardiovascular problems as a result of taking Vioxx. Merck, the manufacturer, voluntarily withdrew Vioxx from the market and ultimately entered into a settlement agreement with Plaintiffs’ counsel. Again, Mr. Powell and staff assisted our clients with submitting claims and navigating the Settlement Program to receive settlement awards.

Mr. Powell, along with Mr. Majestro, were recently co-lead counsel in a successful class action lawsuit representing homeowners against realtors, contractors, and a subdivision homeowners association, for faulty workmanship.

Clients value Mr. Powell’s dedication and his ability to analyze information, identify and implement legal action that allow them to move forward. His litigation experience combined with his background education in engineering serves as an asset in reaching successful results in complicated cases.

Mr. Powell is a member of the West Virginia Bar Association, American Association of Justice, West Virginia Association of Justice, Kanawha County Bar Association, National College of Advocacy, National Legal Aid and Defender Association, Public Justice, and Pound Civil Justice Institute.