Bridget Brown Powers

          Raised in Northern Michigan and Central Florida, attorney Bridget Brown Powers was graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the top 10 percent of her class with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from UNC’s prestigious School of Journalism, which included instruction in the broadcast, print, and advertising sequences. Ms. Powers also earned an outside concentration in Political Science. While at Carolina, Ms. Powers served as a TV intern at WTVD-11, where she wrote breaking-news stories for live broadcast by the 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. news anchors. Ms. Powers also wrote feature articles that were published in the UNC Men’s basketball programs and served as radio news anchor for the UNC Newsline for broadcast by public radio stations throughout the State of North Carolina. As a member of the National Journalism Honor Society maintaining above a 3.8 grade-point average at the J School, Ms. Powers was selected from the student body to serve as assistant to Charles Gibson of Good Morning America for a live broadcast from the UNC campus.

          Attorney Powers matriculated into the Detroit College of Law, now known as Michigan State University College of Law, from which she earned her Juris Doctor Degree. While at DCL, Ms. Powers’ Moot Court Team took first place against Georgetown University in the National Cardozo Moot Court Competition in New York City. She thereafter was selected to serve as the law school’s All-School Competition Director, Director of Competitions, and its Moot Court Program Editor and, consequently, was awarded academic scholarships for her last two years of law school. Ms. Powers served as law clerk intern to then Chief Judge Pro Tem. Marianne O. Batanni of the Wayne County Circuit Court, now U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan, and as law clerk to in-house counsel of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. In her third year, Ms. Powers taught Freshman law students Research, Writing, and Advocacy II and served as Teaching Assistant to Professor Cynthia Starnes, researching and editing articles for law review publication.

          After obtaining two years of training and experience in a larger law firm, Ms. Powers opened her own law practice in Petoskey, Michigan, in 1994. Since then, she has served as Charlevoix County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Assistant City Attorney for the City of Petoskey and City Attorney for the City of Petoskey, and has represented private individuals, business clients, and various townships, villages, cities, and school districts. In addition, Attorney Powers authored the two-year Paralegal Program for North Central Michigan College and served as adjunct coordinator, adjunct professor, and faculty advisor for 12 years while maintaining her private practice of law. Attorney Powers has also served on several volunteer boards, provided legal assistance to local charitable organizations, and has served as President of a local financial institution.