<PAGE>

                                                                      EXHIBIT 24






                                POWER OF ATTORNEY




I, Robert P. Collins, a duly elected Director of COMDIAL CORPORATION, a Delaware
corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint Nickolas A. Branica, David P. Berg
and Kay D. Carter,  or any of them, my true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact,  each
with full power of substitution,  for me and in my name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities  (including without limitation,  as Director of Comdial),  to
sign Comdial's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000,
which is to be filed  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  with all
exhibits  thereto,  and any and all  documents in connection  therewith,  hereby
granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and
perform any and all acts and things  requisite  and  necessary  to be done,  and
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said  attorney-in-fact and agent may do
or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This power of attorney shall not terminate
upon my disability.





Dated:  03/15/01

         /s/ Robert P. Collins
         Robert P. Collins
<PAGE>

                                                                      EXHIBIT 24






                                POWER OF ATTORNEY




I, Barbara J. Dreyer, a duly elected Director of COMDIAL CORPORATION, a Delaware
corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint Nickolas A. Branica, David P. Berg
and Kay D. Carter, or any of them, , my true and lawful attorneys-in-fact,  each
with full power of substitution,  for me and in my name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities  (including without limitation,  as Director of Comdial),  to
sign Comdial's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000,
which is to be filed  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  with all
exhibits  thereto,  and any and all  documents in connection  therewith,  hereby
granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and
perform any and all acts and things  requisite  and  necessary  to be done,  and
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said  attorney-in-fact and agent may do
or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This power of attorney shall not terminate
upon my disability.







Dated:  03/15/01

         /s/ Barbara J. Dreyer
         Barbara J. Dreyer
<PAGE>

                                                                      EXHIBIT 24






                                POWER OF ATTORNEY




I, John W. Rosenblum, a duly elected Director of COMDIAL CORPORATION, a Delaware
corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint Nickolas A. Branica, David P. Berg
and Kay D. Carter,, or any of them, my true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact,  each
with full power of substitution,  for me and in my name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities  (including without limitation,  as Director of Comdial),  to
sign Comdial's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000,
which is to be filed  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  with all
exhibits  thereto,  and any and all  documents in connection  therewith,  hereby
granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and
perform any and all acts and things  requisite  and  necessary  to be done,  and
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said  attorney-in-fact and agent may do
or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This power of attorney shall not terminate
upon my disability.






Dated:  03/01/01

         /s/ John W. Rosenblum
         John W. Rosenblum
<PAGE>

                                                                      EXHIBIT 24






                                POWER OF ATTORNEY




I, Robert E. Spekman, a duly elected Director of COMDIAL CORPORATION, a Delaware
corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint Nickolas A. Branica, David P. Berg
and Kay D. Carter,  or any of them, my true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact,  each
with full power of substitution,  for me and in my name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities  (including without limitation,  as Director of Comdial),  to
sign Comdial's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000,
which is to be filed  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  with all
exhibits  thereto,  and any and all  documents in connection  therewith,  hereby
granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and
perform any and all acts and things  requisite  and  necessary  to be done,  and
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said  attorney-in-fact and agent may do
or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This power of attorney shall not terminate
upon my disability.







Dated:  03/15/01

         /s/ Robert E. Spekman
         Robert E. Spekman
<PAGE>

                                                                      EXHIBIT 24






                                POWER OF ATTORNEY




I, Dianne C. Walker, a duly elected Director of COMDIAL CORPORATION,  a Delaware
corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint Nickolas A. Branica, David P. Berg
and Kay D. Carter,  or any of them, my true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact,  each
with full power of substitution,  for me and in my name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities  (including without limitation,  as Director of Comdial),  to
sign Comdial's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000,
which is to be filed  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  with all
exhibits  thereto,  and any and all  documents in connection  therewith,  hereby
granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and
perform any and all acts and things  requisite  and  necessary  to be done,  and
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said  attorney-in-fact and agent may do
or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This power of attorney shall not terminate
upon my disability.








Dated:  03/01/01

         /s/ Dianne C. Walker
         Dianne C. Walker
<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 24






                                POWER OF ATTORNEY




I,  Nickolas A.  Branica,  a duly  elected  Director of COMDIAL  CORPORATION,  a
Delaware corporation,  do hereby constitute and appoint David P. Berg and Kay D.
Carter, or either of them, my true and lawful attorneys-in-fact,  each with full
power of  substitution,  for me and in my name,  place and stead, in any and all
capacities  (including  without  limitation,  as Director of  Comdial),  to sign
Comdial's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, which
is to be filed with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission,  with all exhibits
thereto, and any and all documents in connection therewith, hereby granting unto
said  attorney-in-fact  and agent full power and authority to do and perform any
and all acts and things requisite and necessary to be done, and hereby ratifying
and  confirming all that said  attorney-in-fact  and agent may do or cause to be
done by virtue  hereof.  This  power of  attorney  shall not  terminate  upon my
disability.






Dated:  03/14/01

         /s/ Nickolas A. Branica
         Nickolas A. Branica