Jon E. Powell, Senior Paralegal

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Recipient of the Skadden, Arps 2016 Pro Bono Award for his contribution to the firm’s pro bono cases which included work with the LA Regional Food Bank, multiple asylum cases, and dog owners who purchased chronically sick puppies from a pet store that sourced from puppy mills.

EDUCATION

  • Bachelor of Fine Arts, in Musical Dance Theatre from Brigham Young University, 1988

Jon has worked in the legal profession since 1998 when he stumbled into what was supposed to be a two-week temp job at Skadden, Arps in the records department. Six months later, he was approached to apply for a legal assistant position. While pursuing an acting career, Jon worked nights and weekends at Skadden for the next eighteen years. In 2016, Jon took a year off and traveled the United States and Canada with the touring company of Dirty Dancing. He put “Baby in the corner” every night as Dr. Houseman, Baby’s Dad.

In 2018, Jon joined Spertus, Landes & Umhofer as a senior paralegal. He is most proud to have assisted with the successful LA Alliance for Human Rights case, addressing the homeless crisis in Los Angeles. He is very grateful to accompany his friends and colleagues to Umhofer, Mitchell & King.

Prior to working in the legal field, Jon worked as an actor and producer and has appeared in film, television, commercials, and theatre. His interests include tennis, gardening, travel, and he is currently writing a book about his life.

There is nothing more important in our lives than our story – the causes we take up, the choices we make, how we relate to ourselves and others is what our story is about. I want my story to be about justice, integrity, restitution, and atonement, just like in law.
— Jon E. Powell