Biography
Mitchell Powell is a principal in the Houston office of Cokinos | Young. Mitchell’s practice focuses primarily on complex commercial litigation matters and catastrophic claims for a wide range of clients in the construction, oil and gas, electrical, utility, manufacturing, and trucking industries. He develops close working relationships with clients and acquires an in-depth understanding of their business in order to be in the best possible position to protect their interests through implementation of effective legal strategies.
Mitchell is an Associate Editor of The Change Order, a monthly publication reporting on significant cases affecting Construction Law, which is distributed in connection with the State Bar of Texas Construction Law Section.
Mitchell received his J.D., cum laude, from South Texas College of Law Houston, where he served as an Articles Editor for the South Texas Law Review. While in law school, he also served as a judicial intern for the Honorable David R. Jones, Chief Judge, of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, and the Honorable David Hittner of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
Education
- South Texas College of Law Houston – J.D., cum laude, 2017
- University of Texas at Austin – B.A., Economics, 2012
Recognitions & Distinctions
- Named a Rising Star by Texas Super Lawyers (2023 – 2024)
- Best Lawyers – Ones to Watch: Construction Law (2022 – 2024), Litigation – Construction (2022 – 2024), Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (2023 – 2024), Commercial Litigation (2024), and Insurance Law (2024)
- Best Litigation Article Award – South Texas Law Review
Representative Experience
- Obtained summary judgment for electrical services company and electrical construction contractor in wrongful death case arising from a fatal work-related accident.
- Obtained summary judgment for electrical engineering and construction contractors in a multi-district litigation case involving more than 750 plaintiffs alleging personal injury and/or property damage claims arising from the flooding and subsequent release of chemicals at a chemical plant.
- Obtained summary judgment for oilfield services company, its parent company, and their holding company in a wrongful death case arising from a fatal motor vehicle accident while employee was driving company crane truck. The case involved choice of law issues under the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Act and Texas Workers’ Compensation Act. The summary judgment was affirmed on appeal by the Houston (Fourteenth) Court of Appeals.
- Obtained summary judgment for a product manufacturer, its parent company, and their holding company on personal injury and emotional distress claims made against them in a product liability case arising from a fire incident, followed by another summary judgment on the plaintiffs’ remaining damage claims. The summary judgments were affirmed on appeal by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Obtained summary judgment for a product manufacturer on personal injury, property damage, and punitive damage claims made against it in a product liability case arising from a fire incident. Also obtained full summary judgment for product manufacturer’s parent company and their holding company on all claims asserted against them, including personal injury and punitive damages. Subsequently obtained favorable settlement for product manufacturer on plaintiffs’ remaining damage claim.
Memberships & Affiliations
- State Bar of Texas – Construction Law Section
Admissions
- State Bar of Texas
- United States District Court: Eastern, Southern, & Western Districts of Texas