Hadiya M. Powell is an Associate in CMC’s Chicago office. She advises and defends employers ranging from Fortune 100 companies to locally owned businesses on a wide range of labor and employment matters. Her practice also includes defending employers in OSHA-related matters, advising on regulatory compliance and workplace safety programs, and handling inspections, citations, and enforcement actions.
Before joining CMC, Hadiya was an Associate in the Labor and Employment Practice of an Am Law 100 firm. There she represented employers in claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation under the ADA, FMLA, and Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act and Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act. She regularly served as the client’s liaison with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and state civil rights agencies, drafting position statements and guiding clients through agency investigations. Her litigation experience spans all stages of litigation and arbitration, including drafting dispositive motions and motions in limine, managing document production, and preparing discovery and deposition materials.
Hadiya also has significant traditional labor experience. She has advised Fortune 500 companies facing union elections, helped develop lawful employee communications and engagement strategies, and prepared materials for proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board. She also counsels employers on day-to-day compliance with federal and state employment laws and on drafting handbooks, policies, and procedures.
At the University of Michigan Law School, Hadiya was a student attorney with the Michigan Innocence Clinic, where she investigated and advocated for incarcerated individuals presenting new evidence of their innocence. She was also a student attorney with Wolverine Street Law, teaching community members, including people at correctional and juvenile facilities, about their legal rights.
Outside the Office
In her free time, Hadiya coaches competitive cheerleading and gymnastics.
