Kristen Powell is a staff attorney at Open City Advocates. Kristen is passionate about advocating for marginalized communities and committed to providing holistic advocacy. Before joining Open City Advocates, Kristen was a staff attorney at Maryland Legal Aid litigating cases on behalf of clients experiencing poverty. Kristen practiced in a variety of areas including divorce and custody, civil protection orders, debt collection, employment, housing, and criminal record expungement. Prior to Maryland Legal Aid, Kristen worked as a law clerk in the Appellate Court of Maryland. 

Kristen received her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, where she worked as a criminal law research assistant. Kristen received her B.A. from Michigan State University, where she studied Political Science with a concentration in pre-law. 

Kristen is licensed to practice in the District of Columbia and Maryland.