Kurt A. Powell

Kurt’s practice focuses on the defense of management in complex employment litigation and labor matters. Kurt’s practice focuses exclusively on representing management in labor and employment law matters, including complex employment litigation, trade secret and non-compete litigation, union avoidance, collective bargaining, and preventive employee relations counseling. Kurt has extensive experience in Sarbanes Oxley whistleblower litigation in the financial services industry and defending collective and class actions and “mass” actions involving wage and hour claims, employment discrimination allegations, consumer discrimination, and ERISA claims.

Kurt conducts and coordinates sensitive corporate investigations involving Sarbanes Oxley, FCPA and other high risk compliance matters. He regularly presents training to help employers avoid litigation and advises clients regarding union avoidance strategies, as well as development of union negotiation and communication strategies. Kurt is a Certified facilitator of the award-winning Civil Treatment® for Managers and Legal Record® programs on litigation avoidance and documentation. Kurt is regularly engaged by various companies, trade associations, business groups and universities to speak on a number of labor and employment issues.

Kurt's scope of litigation practice is national. He is admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Georgia, Middle District of Georgia and Eastern District of Michigan, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Fifth Circuit, Sixth Circuit, Eighth Circuit, and Eleventh Circuit, the Georgia Superior, State and Magistrate Courts, Georgia Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of the State of Georgia.

• Successfully obtained dismissal of nationwide collective action against pharmaceutical company challenging exempt status of sales representatives under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Also obtained defense verdict in a jury trial of a Fair Labor Standards Act claim for overtime for a national electronics manufacturer.
• Successfully defended numerous cases alleging violations of Sarbanes Oxley Act whistleblower protections, including first reported federal court summary judgment decision and defense verdict in first Sarbanes Oxley claim tried before FINRA arbitration panel.
• Successfully defended employers in complex trade secret/noncompete litigation brought by competitors in the financial services, technology and chemical industries.
• Liason defense counsel for Multi-District Litigation proceeding involving over 100 cases alleging racially discriminatory pricing of insurance products.
• Successfully obtained temporary restraining orders in trade secret cases which allowed immediate seizure of computer equipment and storage media from former employees to prevent disclosure of trade secret information.
• Successfully defended class actions and multiple plaintiff actions alleging ERISA fiduciary and benefit violations.

• Listed as a Litigation Star (2025) and a Labor and Employment Star (2019-2024), Georgia, Benchmark Litigation
• Recognized as a Leader in Labor & Employment, Georgia, Chambers USA, 2007-2024
• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for Employment Law–Management, Litigation–Labor and Employment, 2012-2024

• Recognized as a Lawdragon 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyer, 2020-2025

• Fellow, College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, 2015
• Selected as a Super Lawyer for Employment & Labor, Atlanta Magazine and Georgia Super Lawyers Magazine, 2003-2024
• Named one of “Georgia’s Legal Elite,” a listing of the state’s “most effective lawyers,” selected by Georgia attorneys and published in Georgia Trend Magazine, 2005-2011
• Recognized in Who’s Who in Law and Accounting, as published in Atlanta Business Chronicle, 2003-2010
• Law Fellow, Lawyers Foundation of Georgia, 2005-2011

• Member, Atlanta Bar Association; Labor & Employment Law Section; Trial Practice Section
• Member Leadership Atlanta, Class of 2006
• Chairman of Board, Great Prospects, Inc., 2014 - present
• Board Member, North Metro Miracle League, 2008 - present