I founded Bowles & Verna in 1985 to be able to assist real individuals in solving their business and litigation needs. When I first began practicing law as an insurance defense litigator, I rapidly gained a tremendous amount of court room experience. I have built on this experience by focusing my practice has on various areas of general, business, construction, real estate, professional liability and property liability litigation.

Since that time, my practice has evolved into representing transactional and business clients in their business needs and disputes, including the formation of corporate entities, employment disputes, contractual requirements and disputes with third parties.

I work with a wide range of clients in my practice, from individual business owners to large Bay Area corporations, and take great pride in being able to “jump” into any type of business or litigation dispute to assist my clients. I have focused the firm on working with and for a client — the case belongs to the client, not the law firm. As a result of our client-based litigation approach, I am consistently referred clients from other attorneys and former adversaries. To date, I have tried over 150 cases. Recent accomplishments include:

•  $44 million jury verdict against a nationally known developer, including punitive damages in a development/land fraud case;
•  $7+ million bad faith judgment against a national insurance company, including punitive damages;
•  $2 million judgment a real estate partnership dispute, with nominal punitive damages;
•  $1 million judgment against a major national bank for breach of lease;
•  A multi-million dollar settlement in a medical/hospital malpractice case; and
•  A court trial successfully amending a longstanding partnership agreement to preserve the ownership of multi-million dollar ranch properties.

Education

• University of California, Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, California
  • J.D. cum laude – 1969
  • Honors: With Honors
  • Law Review: Hastings Law Review, Articles Editor, 1968 – 1969

• University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California
  • B.S. – 1966
  • Major: Business

Honors and Awards

• Super Lawyers – Northern California (10+ years)
• Premier Litigation Lawyers – Exclusive Featured Attorney Walnut Creek (2019 -2020)

Professional Associations and Memberships

• California Bar Association, Member
• Contra Costa County Bar Association, Member
• San Francisco Bar Association, Member
• American Bar Association, Member
• Litigation Counsel of America

Bowles & Verna

Our law firm is uniquely qualified to handle multi-faceted cases. Ranging from complicated business litigation and business matter to real estate and estate planning to wrongful death in auto accidents and airline disasters, as well as international business litigation. With a team of 40 employees, we have the manpower to handle the most complicated matters – even those crossing international lines and laws.

Opened in 1985, our practice offers clients several decades of experience in representing both plaintiffs and defendants in complex personal injury and business cases. As well as all variety of business, real estate, and estate planning.

Bowles & Verna attorneys provide a broad spectrum of experience. Most of our attorneys are litigators, focusing their efforts on settling cases and avoiding trial. While this is an efficient and sometimes ideal solution, it is not in your best interests to plan to settle. At Bowles & Verna, most of us are trial lawyers; many of the lawyers on our team in Walnut Creek, CA have extensive courtroom experience, and we prepare every case for trial. This way, we can either maximize settlements or take the case to a successful resolution.

Those of our lawyers who provide service in the business, real estate and estate planning, also strive to resolve their matters for their clients in the most efficient and productive manner.