The legacy and growth of the law firm of Powell & Edwards has been inextricably woven with those of Gwinnett County for more than 93 years. The firm's leadership has been and continues to be instrumental in Gwinnett's emergence as one of the nation's leading commercial centers.

Marvin Allison opened a law office in Lawrenceville in 1929 that would eventually become known as the firm of Powell & Edwards. A dynamic trial lawyer, Mr. Allison was known for his natural ability to determine the essential elements of a case and present them effectively.

Mr. Allison experienced success not only in the courtroom, but also in business and civic involvement. Mr. Allison’s varied legacies include the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, the Gwinnett Daily Post, and the former Gwinnett Federal Savings Bank.

Mr. Allison served as the first president of the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce.  He remained actively involved in the chamber thereafter. Mr. Allison also published local newspapers in the 1940s and 1950s, providing a news source for the emergent county. Mr. Allison’s newspapers were the forerunners of the county’s present paper of record, the Gwinnett Daily Post.  Mr. Allison continued to publish local newspapers until his death in 1959.

Mr. Allison was also instrumental in founding the Gwinnett County Building and Loan Association, which became Gwinnett Federal Savings Bank. Mr. Allison’s active interest and participation in the community, as well as his drive for success, left an indelible mark on Gwinnett County in general, and this firm in particular.

Charles Pittard joined the firm during World War II, in 1942. Recognized as an outstanding property lawyer by title insurance companies and his fellow attorneys, Mr. Pittard laid a solid foundation for the firm's specialty practice area of real estate law. He became the first judge of the Superior Court of Gwinnett County in 1960, serving in that capacity until his death in 1983.

In 1952, Mr. Allison brought Jones Webb into the firm. In the 1950s, as attorney for Georgia Power Company, Mr. Webb helped put in place the utility infrastructure that continues to fuel the growth of Gwinnett County today. In the 1960s, Mr. Webb served as the attorney for the Gwinnett County Board of Education.  In that capacity, Mr. Webb provided critical advice concerning the peaceful desegregation of Gwinnett's public schools.

For thirty years, Mr. Webb also served as a director and attorney for both the First National Bank of Gwinnett County and Gwinnett Federal Savings and Loan Association. He was personally involved in key decisions that provided the capital undergirding Gwinnett's business community today.

Shortly after Mr. Allison's death in 1959, former assistant U.S. attorney, W. Howard Fowler joined his childhood friend, Jones Webb, as a partner in the firm. Mr. Fowler developed and grew an active and reputable trial practice until he retired from the firm in 1989 to head the Gwinnett Hospital System’s legal department.

Today, Mr. Webb’s legacy survives him. He was known and respected in the legal community for his knowledge, experience and leadership. The surviving partners and the rest of the firm are proud to be associated with him.

It is said that Mr. Allison had a vision for Gwinnett. He saw the importance of a strong community newspaper, solid financial institutions and the advocacy of a chamber of commerce. He was one of the driving forces bringing prosperity to Gwinnett. For Powell & Edwards, Mr. Allison's efforts established a heritage of community service and business leadership. This heritage became the cornerstone of the firm's success. Charles Pittard added a standard to the firm that required the careful and meticulous handling of every client's problem.

Through the years, the law firm has changed names many times to match the names of the active partners.  Mr. Webb and Mr. Tanner formally retired from the practice of law in 2018, clearing the path for Brian Edwards's name on the door.  The firm name has changed again, but its character will not.

Tony Powell and those partners who followed have taken Mr. Allison's vision and Judge Pittard's high standards, and have built one of Gwinnett's most dependable, storied, and successful law firms.