David D. Powell, Jr.

David D. Powell, Jr.


Garnett Powell Maximon Barlow & Farbes

Recognized since 2006

Denver, Colorado

Practice Areas

Employment Law - Management

Litigation - Labor and Employment

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Litigation - Labor and Employment
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Litigation - Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Litigation - Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Employment Law - Management
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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.

Location
  • 1125 17th Street, Suite 2200
    Denver, CO 80202
Education
  • University of California Los Angeles, J.D., graduated 1983
  • Santa Clara University, B.A., graduated 1980
Bar Admissions
  • Colorado, Colorado Bar Association
Affiliations
  • American Board of Trial Advocates, Colorado Chapter - Member
  • International Society of Barristers - Board Member
  • International Society of Barristers - Fellow
  • National Employment Law Council - Coordinating Committee
  • The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers - Fellow
  • Vol. 30 of the UCLA Law Review - Managing Editor
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Litigation - Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Litigation - Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Employment Law - Management
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment, Denver (2025)
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment, Denver (2018)
  • Employment Law - Management, Denver (2016)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
Special Focus:
  • Civil Rights
  • Defense
  • Disability
  • Harassment
  • Litigation
  • Management
  • Title VII Litigation
  • Trade Secrets
  • Wage-Hour Law
Awards:
  • Richard Marden Davis Award, given annually by the law firm of Davis Graham & Stubbs
  • Lawdragon 500, Leading Lawyers in America (2006, 2007)
  • Colorado Super Lawyers (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013)
  • Chambers USA America’s Leading Business Lawyers (2005-2010, 2013)
  • “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell

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Publications

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