Jayla L. Powell

Jayla Powell was nine years old when she sat through a family member’s trial and saw, for the first time, how deeply the legal process can shape a person’s life. That early lesson still guides her as a civil litigation attorney in Hedrick Gardner’s Charlotte office, where she brings a prosecutor’s courtroom experience and a steady, prepared presence to every matter.

Jayla joined the firm after serving as an Assistant District Attorney in Mecklenburg County, where she handled more than 2,000 misdemeanor and traffic cases. Running a heavy courtroom docket taught her to evaluate evidence quickly, prepare witnesses, coordinate with law enforcement, and argue motions and bench trials on her feet.

Jayla is drawn to civil litigation for the range of issues it presents and the chance to advocate through both written and oral arguments. She values building genuine relationships with the people she represents and approaches each matter knowing how much its resolution means to the client.

She first learned the inner workings of a litigation practice before law school, spending nearly two years as a legal assistant and case manager at a firm. Her litigation foundation spans civil and criminal work in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. As a legal extern in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, she drafted motions to dismiss federal habeas petitions and assisted with litigation efforts to hold individuals accountable for financial crimes against North Carolina.

Jayla starts most mornings at the gym and spends her free time with family and friends, trying new coffee shops, and planning her next trip.