Board Member
Kathryn Powers
Kathryn Katie Powers is a lifelong resident of Clayton County. She is a graduate of Jonesboro High School, where she has served the nationally acclaimed and award-winning Mock Trial Team in a volunteer capacity as a coach since 2003.
After graduating from Jonesboro High School, Katie attended Georgia State University, where she was a Berner Scholar. Throughout her undergraduate career, she participated in many social organizations. One of them being the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society as President. She received an Outstanding Leadership Award in 2004, graduating Cum Laude and obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Pre-law.
Furthering her career aspirations and passion for service, Katie enrolled in the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in Macon, Ga. Enrolled, Katie received numerous scholarships, awards, recognitions and participated in various campus organizations consistent with her undergraduate experience. She received the Walter F. George Full Tuition/Stipend Scholarship, John C. Estes Moot Court Award, Faculty Award for Most Outstanding Senior, National Moot Court Region 5 Winner - Best Oralist, Cali Awards for Civil Lawsuits, Administrative Law, Topics in the Jurisprudence of Crime, and Intro to Law, ABA Criminal Mock Trial National Champion 2009 - Best Advocate/Best Oral Examiner, and highlighted in Justice Magazine: Women in the Law (interviewed Spring 2009)
During her tenure at Mercer University, Katie joined various campus law organizations including, Brainard Currie Honor Society, Order of the Barristers, Law Review Member, Mercer Moot Court Board Chair. Additionally, as a National Moot Court Team Member, Katie was a Quarterfinalist - National Final Rounds and served as Phi Delta Phi, Rehberg Chair.
Katie graduated from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law, obtaining her Juris Doctorate with an Advanced Legal Writing Certificate, Cum Laude 2009. Ranking in the Top 10 percent of her graduating class.
Returning to her home of Clayton County, Katie immediately begins serving the people as Senior Assistant District Attorney for the Clayton Judicial Circuit. As a lead trial attorney in multiple courtrooms, Katie served as lead counsel in State v. Foster, arguing before the Georgia Supreme Court.
In March of 2013, Katie became Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney of the Clayton Judicial Circuit for the Crimes Against Women and Children Unit. In this role, she represented the State of Georgia in multiple sex and murder crimes against children.
The following year, Katie moved into the Executive Assistant District Attorney role for the Clayton Judicial Circuit. She represented the state in murder cases, cold-case murder cases, complex cases, and high-profile media cases. In addition, Katie served as supervisor for the Major Case Unit within the office - leading and training new prosecutors.
In January 2017, Katie was appointed State Court Judge of the Clayton Judicial Circuit. In this capacity, Judge Kathryn Katie Powers presides over misdemeanor criminal court cases, traffic cases, and civil cases, including wrongful death, medical malpractice, premises liability, and products liability. She also served as presiding judge for the Clayton County Driving Under the Influence Accountability Court.
In January 2018, Katie was appointed to the Superior Court of the Clayton Judicial Circuit, where she currently serves until December 31, 2020
Currently, Katie is a Professor at Mercer University School of Law, also serving as the law school’s Director of Advocacy.
Throughout her career, Judge Katie Powers has received many accolades; Assistant District Attorney of the Year; 2010 and 2011, the Robert E. Keller Employee of the Year; 2012, and the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce Women in Business Spotlight Award; 2017.
She currently serves on the State Bar Board of Governors, the Judicial Workload Assessment Committee, and the Georgia Commission on Family Violence.