R. Colin Power

How Colin Helps Clients

Colin is an experienced attorney and former Administrative Judge of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) who leverages his formidable depth of knowledge in labor and employment law to champion his client’s interests. He provides strategic counsel and representation in a wide array of labor and employment-related matters, with a particular focus on civil rights, discrimination, retaliation, and harassment claims. He has extensive expertise with issues arising under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Additionally, he advises higher education institutions in complex civil rights matters, including Title VI and Title IX compliance and investigations. 

Drawing on his significant experience from the EEOC, Colin offers invaluable insight into the realm of civil rights and employment law. As an Administrative Judge, he presided over and adjudicated hundreds of federal employment discrimination complaints, including complex class action matters. His experience spans a comprehensive range of employment claims, including disciplinary actions, wrongful terminations, failure to hire, issues concerning compensation, benefits, and leave, reprisal, reasonable accommodations due to disability or religion, sexual harassment, and hostile work environment claims. He issued impartial bench, written, and summary judgment decisions determining whether discrimination occurred, and if so, ordering appropriate remedies and relief. Colin’s tenure at the EEOC also included a detail with the EEOC’s appellate review division, where he authored published decisions on particularly complex and novel appeals. Beyond the courtroom, he is a recognized authority in Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) law, developing extensive training materials and providing training to judges, attorneys, and mediators nationwide. 

Colin’s deep understanding of federal civil rights and employment regulations was further honed through his work as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, where he conducted investigations and negotiated complex resolution agreements with educational institutions under federal civil rights laws. He is a recognized expert in Title IX compliance, particularly concerning athletics and sexual harassment, and was a member of a specialized team responsible for amending the Title IX regulations on sexual harassment, regulations that remain in effect today. Prior to that, as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Administrative Law Judges, Colin wrote decisions arising from over sixty labor and employment-related statutes and regulations, specializing in workers’ compensation and whistleblower matters. His extensive federal government background enables Colin to excel at providing proactive regulatory compliance and strategic government relations advice, deftly guiding clients through complex federal investigatory processes. Earlier in his career, Colin also gained valuable litigation experience at a civil litigation law firm, handling labor and employment disputes among other civil matters.

Colin is a graduate of Drexel University’s Kline School of Law in Philadelphia. During law school, he served as an Executive Editor of the Drexel Law Review. In addition to his legal studies, he gained extensive practical experience including cooperative education internships in Buchanan’s litigation section, as well as the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, where he tried criminal cases in the Philadelphia Municipal Court. He also served as a legal intern for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, and as a judicial intern for the Honorable Mitchell S. Goldberg of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.  

What Clients Can Expect

Colin is a hardworking and highly responsive attorney who takes the time to understand his client’s unique needs and operations, to develop tailored strategies and determine the best path forward in any situation.   

Clients appreciate Colin’s openness and collaborative approach, including his ability to simplify complex topics and provide practical advice, while always ensuring his clients feel supported and able to make the most informed decisions possible. 

While a fierce advocate during litigation, Colin understands that proactive approach can minimize risks. He encourages clients to involve him early in policy development, training, and implementation, to identify potential risks and adopt best practices to avoid litigation. Colin is also a strong proponent of alternative dispute resolution. He is a recognized expert in conflict resolution and mediation techniques, having served as a neutral settlement judge and mediator in dozens of cases, and he brings those skills to the table as an effective advocate for his clients.

I provide a practical, tailored approach based on the client’s unique situation. My top priority is to ensure my clients feel empowered and confident to make informed decisions. 

Outside the Office

Colin lives in Collingswood, New Jersey, with his wife, Maura, and two young children, Fiona and Cillian – and he loves nothing better than to spend time with them. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, reading fiction, trying new restaurants, and visiting family in Ireland. Before law school, Colin worked in construction as a journeyman in New York City – installing beautiful marble floors in iconic locations such as the new World Trade Center and Metropolitan Museum of Art. He still enjoys working with his hands and you can often find him tackling (and occasionally finishing) renovation projects in his home. To keep active, he enjoys playing the Irish sport of hurling with the South Jersey Rebels Hurling Club, in addition to the occasional round of golf.

Proof Points

• Adjudicated hundreds of federal employee discrimination complaints, presiding over hearings, ruling on motions, managing discovery, and issuing decisions with remedies including monetary awards and policy changes to ensure compliance with federal EEO laws.
• Presided over a class-action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of State on behalf of individuals with disabilities denied Foreign Service officer positions. Granted final approval of a $37.5 million settlement, which included revisions to the State Department’s medical clearance policy.
• Investigated and resolved hundreds of complex civil rights complaints involving educational entities. Developed case strategies, conducted compliance reviews, analyzed complex data, and negotiated and monitored resolution agreements to ensure compliance with federal civil rights law.
• Played a key role in developing and revising the Department of Education’s Title IX regulations, including serving on a dedicated team to review and analyze public comments for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on sexual assault and harassment procedures, which are in effect today. 

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