Mary Ellen Powers' practice focuses on complex civil litigation and criminal, regulatory, and congressional investigations. She has represented clients in toxic tort litigation, as well as civil litigation arising under RICO, the Antiterrorism Act, and the Alien Tort Claims Act. She also has represented corporations in connection with government investigations arising under the USA PATRIOT Act, the FCPA, and securities and bank regulatory laws, among others.
Mary Ellen's recent representations include: Mattel in congressional investigations relating to toys containing trace levels of lead in paint, a pedal manufacturer in congressional and NHTSA investigations into recalled Toyota vehicles, the owner of a Macau bank in challenging measures imposed by the Department of the Treasury under Section 311 of the Patriot Act, and a major Middle Eastern construction company in defense of civil claims brought under the Antiterrorism Act, RICO, and the Alien Tort Claims Act. She is currently defending IBM against personal injury, property damage, and medical monitoring claims relating to vapor intrusion and groundwater contamination and has in the past successfully defended IBM in a high-profile four-month jury trial of claims by employees that workplace exposures caused cancer.
Mary Ellen is Partner-in-Charge of the Firm's European and Middle Eastern operations. She has served as a member of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Committee and as a lecturer in trial advocacy at the George Washington University National Law Center.
