Bonnie Powell (J.D. ’99), director of the Landlord-Tenant Mediation Clinic, serves as the chair of the State Bar of Georgia Dispute Resolution Section, which promotes and facilitates negotiation, mediation, arbitration and methods other than traditional litigation for the resolution of legal disputes.
Powell has worked with the section and its chairs for several years. She was elected to serve as the section’s secretary two years ago and served as vice-chair last year.
“It was easy to step into this role knowing I was following in the footsteps of people for whom I had tremendous respect,” she said.
As chair, Powell serves as the direct line of communication between section members and the State Bar and is responsible for recruiting section members to chair events throughout the year. Among several other duties, she also works with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution to plan and execute the annual Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) Institute and Neutrals' Conference.
Powell hopes to continue to build upon the success of her predecessors.
“Each year, the section strives to produce programs better than the year before,” she said. “Every time we think we are out of good ideas, we somehow find a new angle. Our goal is to bring topics of interest on a local and national level to Georgia’s dispute resolution community.”
She also plans to continue working closely with the Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution and leverage the expertise of fellow section members.
“The section has dedicated members with a great deal of experience who are willing to help when needed,” Powell said. “Knowing there is a cadre of expertise just a phone call away has provided me with the confidence I need to be a successful chair. I have many people to call on, and they actually return my calls. It says a lot about our commitment to our section and the practice we all believe in—we want to help each other succeed.”
Powell practices law and serves as a mediator for her firm, Bonnie O. Powell, Esq. LLC. She is the director of the Georgia State Law Landlord-Tenant Mediation Clinic at the Fulton County and DeKalb County state and magistrate courts.