Accounting
Laura Powell
  • 513-745-3096
  • WCB 202
  • ML SMH-220

Laura Powell, J.D., Esq.

Senior Teaching Professor of Business Law
Director of the Cintas Institute of Business

Professor Laura A. Powell, J.D., is Director of the Cintas Institute for Business Ethics and Senior Teaching Professor of Business Law in Xavier University’s Williams College of Business. An attorney, educator, faculty mentor, and international program leader, she is committed to advancing ethical leadership, responsible business practices, and experiential learning.

Professor Powell teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in business law and ethics, helping students apply legal and ethical principles to contemporary business challenges. Her areas of expertise include business law, employment law, intellectual property law, applied ethics, corporate culture, and ethical decision-making.

She has served the Cintas Institute as a faculty mentee, fellow, and mentor and now leads its educational programs, speaker series, fellowships, faculty initiatives, and engagement with the business community. Professor Powell also directs international business and ethics programs, including Xavier’s MBA International Ethics program in London and Paris.

She earned her J.D. from the University of Dayton School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati. Her work reflects a strong commitment to preparing students and professionals to lead with integrity, sound judgment, and a sense of responsibility to their organizations and communities.

Brief Description of Teaching Activities

Summer Semester 2023-2025 I taught my Business Law 300 course in London. I took over the London summer program and taught my Blaw 300 class at the Institute for Legal Studies. This is a program I led and pioneered at Miami University for several years beginning in 2013. I did the proposal, budget and worked with our partner in London AIFS, whom I had worked with for years to develop an educational, global and cultural experience for our Xavier students.

Spring Semester of 2026 I will teach an MBA International Ethics program in London/Paris.

Summer Semester 2026 I will teach an undergraduate International Ethics program in London.

Fall Semester 2026 I will teach an executive MBA International Ethics Program in Finland and Estonia.

I teach BLAW 300 and BLAW 550, an undergraduate business legal studies course and a ELMBA and EMBA course for graduate students. As a Senior Teaching Professor at Xavier I have the opportunity to teach undergraduate and graduate courses that identify ethical issues and analyze those issues in relationship to a specific topic of study or discipline. I believe ethics should be a component in all courses. A key focus of the courses is the focus on the decision-making process itself. This is accomplished by providing hands-on hypothetical problems for discussion and analysis, in an individual and group project. A core objective is for students to identify and understand ethical issues and ethical principles. I would like to take that objective further and provide ethical tools or skills for the students that would promote life-long learning.

In the Spring 2019 as an Ethics Mentee at Xavier University I traveled with the MBA classes to London and Paris. We visited BP, Starbucks, and Michael Woodford (former CEO of Olympus) as well as L’Oreal, which has been ranked the #1 Worldwide, by Covalence Ethicalquote Reputation Index.
  • 513-745-3096
  • WCB 202
  • ML SMH-220

Professor Laura A. Powell, J.D., is Director of the Cintas Institute for Business Ethics and Senior Teaching Professor of Business Law in Xavier University’s Williams College of Business. An attorney, educator, faculty mentor, and international program leader, she is committed to advancing ethical leadership, responsible business practices, and experiential learning.

Professor Powell teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in business law and ethics, helping students apply legal and ethical principles to contemporary business challenges. Her areas of expertise include business law, employment law, intellectual property law, applied ethics, corporate culture, and ethical decision-making.

She has served the Cintas Institute as a faculty mentee, fellow, and mentor and now leads its educational programs, speaker series, fellowships, faculty initiatives, and engagement with the business community. Professor Powell also directs international business and ethics programs, including Xavier’s MBA International Ethics program in London and Paris.

She earned her J.D. from the University of Dayton School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati. Her work reflects a strong commitment to preparing students and professionals to lead with integrity, sound judgment, and a sense of responsibility to their organizations and communities.

Brief Description of Teaching Activities

Summer Semester 2023-2025 I taught my Business Law 300 course in London. I took over the London summer program and taught my Blaw 300 class at the Institute for Legal Studies. This is a program I led and pioneered at Miami University for several years beginning in 2013. I did the proposal, budget and worked with our partner in London AIFS, whom I had worked with for years to develop an educational, global and cultural experience for our Xavier students.

Spring Semester of 2026 I will teach an MBA International Ethics program in London/Paris.

Summer Semester 2026 I will teach an undergraduate International Ethics program in London.

Fall Semester 2026 I will teach an executive MBA International Ethics Program in Finland and Estonia.

I teach BLAW 300 and BLAW 550, an undergraduate business legal studies course and a ELMBA and EMBA course for graduate students. As a Senior Teaching Professor at Xavier I have the opportunity to teach undergraduate and graduate courses that identify ethical issues and analyze those issues in relationship to a specific topic of study or discipline. I believe ethics should be a component in all courses. A key focus of the courses is the focus on the decision-making process itself. This is accomplished by providing hands-on hypothetical problems for discussion and analysis, in an individual and group project. A core objective is for students to identify and understand ethical issues and ethical principles. I would like to take that objective further and provide ethical tools or skills for the students that would promote life-long learning.

In the Spring 2019 as an Ethics Mentee at Xavier University I traveled with the MBA classes to London and Paris. We visited BP, Starbucks, and Michael Woodford (former CEO of Olympus) as well as L’Oreal, which has been ranked the #1 Worldwide, by Covalence Ethicalquote Reputation Index.

First Year at Xavier
2017

Resume/CV
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Expertise Applicable Ethics, Business Law, Employment Law, Intellectual Property Law,

Professional Interests Member of the Center for International Business Affinity Group – leading the COIL initiative, to prepare students for the modern, globalized workplace by developing essential professional skills, EMBA BEA committee member, Member of the Assessment Committee 2023-present, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) as an Instructor and Mentor Fall 2023-present., Participated in the Persistence Project Spring of 2023 - Integrate four specific activities into a single course during the first four weeks of spring semester, Participated and completed the Inclusive Teaching Academy, semester Spring of 2023, Enrolled in Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). To learn how to through my teaching, scholarship, and service help students engage globally in cross-cultural learning in alignment with our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. I will be using these methods this year through scholarship and a trip to Lima Peru in December to teach collaboratively with Professors from other Universities, Co-taught at the Lily Conference at Miami University on the topic of COIL and how Professors can implement COIL in their classroom to facilitate global learning, An active member of the Teaching Professor Merit Committee. The committee drafted and implemented a template for merit evaluation for Teaching Professors which was approved in the spring, by the Teaching Professors and will be used this year for merit review. 2019-present, Participated in a Curriculum Innovations Committee (CIC). That committee is looking for "artifacts" consistent with the Learning Objective - "WCB BSBAs will be able to identify the implications of ethical issues in business." 2021- present, Participated in the Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program with the Supreme Court of Ohio, I meet monthly with my newly minted attorney mentee to discuss matters pertaining to professional development in the legal profession and engagement in pro bono activities. 2021- present., Intellectual property sub-committee of Faculty Committee- where we explored intellectual property rights at Xavier. I led a meeting and drafted parts of the faculty handbook concerning scholarship, copyright and how to best protect, inspire and catalogue our intellectual property here at Xavier. 2020-2021., Faculty Committee participation- I reviewed and drafted parts of a letter sent to Father Graham on the issue of changes and interpretations of the faculty handbook. This request was to seek clarification of how the suspension of 403b contributions might be inconsistent with the faculty handbook, specifically section XVI B of the Faculty Handbook. 2020, Faculty Advisor for the Xavier University Mock Trial Team, 2018-present, Mock Trial Coach and Adviser, 2010-2017 at Miami University, Parliamentarian for the Farmer School of Business faculty meetings at Miami University, 2013-2017

  • Juris Doctor, University of Dayton School of Law, 2009
  • Paralegal Certificate, College of Mount St. Joseph, 2006
  • Bachelor of Arts, University of Cincinnati, 1981
  • Xavier University Williams College of Business Director of the Cintas Institute for Business Ethics, July 1, 2026
  • Sole Proprietor, Laura A. Powell, Esq. August 2014-present
  • Xavier University Williams College of Business, Teaching Professor, AACSB Faculty Classification, Scholarly Academic 2017/present
  • Haughey & Deters, LLC, Oxford, OH Associate Attorney 2012-August 2014
  • Miami University Farmer School of Business, Visiting Assistant Professor 2012/2017
  • Miami University Farmer School of Business, Adjunct Faculty 2010-2012
  • Bradley & Associates, Dayton, OH Associate Attorney, 2011-2012
  • Sinclair Community College, Adjunct Faculty, 2010-2010
  • The Wolfe Practice, Cincinnati, OH, externship, 2008
  • Cincinnati Country Day School, Trustee 2002-2007
  • Aid Association for Lutherans, Actuarial Support 1984-1986
  • Section 172 of the 2006 Companies Act and its Potential to Redefine Anglo-American Concepts of Corporate Governance is ready for publication in 2026.
  • Presented a paper titled “Using International Online Collaboration to Prepare Students for 21st Century Global Challenges” at the Original Lily Conference at Miami University on November 18th, 2023. This is a pedagogical teaching conference in which I will be showing other educators how to implement COIL in their classrooms.
  • Participated in COIL at Xavier this year as a mentor and representative of The Williams College of Business to challenge more instructors to implement this system of internationalizing their curriculum by creating a globally oriented course.
  • August 2023 “Law and Social Justice: Operationalizing Stakeholder Theory in Governmental Regulations and Corporate Decision-Making for Social and Economic Sustainability, Resilience, and Democracy”, published in the spring of 2024 by the Pace International Law Review. I presented this paper at the ALSB Annual Conference in San Diego in July 2023.
  • November 16th, 2023 and December 14th, 2023 I was part of a series of podcasts created by the School of Education. This platform was a way we could share our COIL experience with colleagues and students. After returning on the 13th, we did part 2 on December 14th, which we shared what we gained and our reflection of the trip to meet our FLC purpose. The podcast focused on the FLC which began in the Spring of 2022 with a focus on internationalizing the curriculum by creating globally-oriented courses. We talked about what it meant to internationalize the curriculum and how the trip to Peru assisted us internationalizing our curriculums. We described our experience in Lima, what our itinerary involved and the knowledge and resources we brought back from the trip to implement in our curriculum.
  • February 28th, 2023 I was part of our Faculty Learning Community’s Final Presentation: Global Action and Engagement in the CTE Lounge. All Colleges and Departments were invited to attend.
  • “A Call for a New Noblesse Oblige in the 21st Century: How Capitalism Can Indeed Save the World—Redefining Fiduciary Obligations”. Preparing for publication. Publication in 2023. I presented this paper at the ALSB Conference in August 2021.
  • “Teaching “Managing Disruption” Classroom Exercises” has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice (ISSN# 2158-3595). Published in volume 20(16), 2020. I presented the paper at the ALSB Conference in August 2020.
  • U.S. Privacy Implications in a Post-GDPR Environment: by Laura Powell, J.D, Teaching Professor of Business Law, Williams College of Business, Xavier University and Paul Fiorelli, J.D., M.B.A., Professor of Legal Studies, Williams College of Business, Xavier University, published in the Journal of Law Business & Ethics. Published in volume 26, Winter of 2020.
  • In 2014 I co-authored a paper on “Proximate Cause”, with Dan Herron and Elizabeth Herron Silvaggio. We presented this paper at the Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference in Seattle Washington in August 2014 and it was published in August 2015.
  • Appointed Director of The Cintas Institute for Business Ethics, July 2026
  • Promoted to Senior Teaching Professor, February 2024
  • Recipient of the 2020 and 2021 CLE Award
  • Cintas Ethics Fellow 2019 – present
  • Cintas Ethics Mentee, 2018 – present
  • Karl and Helen Wiepking Visiting Distinguished Professor, 2013