POWER OF ATTORNEY

       Know all men by these presents that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints each of Earl Doppelt

and Jeanne Barlow his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact with full powers of substitution and revocation, for and in his

name to do the following in respect of Walter Energy, Inc.:

(1) execute and deliver Forms 3, 4 and 5 (and amendments thereto) in accordance with Section 16(a)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which may be necessary or

desirable to complete execution of any such Form 3, 4 or 5 (and amendments thereto) and the

timely filing of any such form with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the

national securities exchanges, and any other authority; and

(3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the foregoing which, in the

opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by

the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on

behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form as such

attorney-in-fact may approve in his discretion.

       The undersigned hereby grants to each attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform each and

every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and

powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as such attorney-in-fact might or could do if personally

present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully

do or cause to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.  Except for the

matters set forth above, the undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such

capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply

with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.



       This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the undersigned is no longer required to file

Forms 4 or 5 with respect to Walter Energy, Inc. unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing

delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.





 /s/ Joseph B. Leonard

 Signature



 Joseph B. Leonard

 Print Name



 July 19, 2012

 Date









03080391.1