Attorney Profile

CHRISTOPHER D. BOWERS

First Assistant City Attorney

Chris Bowers joined the office in 1990. Until 1995, he advised the City Council and city boards and staff on land use and administrative law issues. Since then, he has practiced civil trial and appellate law with an emphasis on property matters, including eminent domain, zoning, and contracts. In 2001, he took over an appeal and obtained a reversal of a $6.4 million judgment against the City in City of Dallas v. Currey, 2001 WL 1671160 (Tex. App. — Dallas 2001, pet. denied), cert. denied, 537 U.S. 1030 (2002). In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court granted his petition for certiorari and vacated the Fifth Circuit’s adverse judgment in City of Dallas v. Cole, 536 U.S. 936 (2002). In 2003, he convinced a trial judge to deny a $15 million claim, which alleged that the City’s failure to grant a permit to demolish a historic building resulted in a taking of property rights. In 2005, the Dallas Court of Appeals issued a landmark opinion affirming the trial court's judgment in 2218 Bryan Street, Ltd. v. City of Dallas, 175 S.W.3d 58 (Tex. App. — Dallas 2005, pet. denied). In 2006, he persuaded the Texas Supreme Court to reverse the Dallas Court of Appeals and the trial court and to uphold the Dallas Board of Adjustment’s denial of a zoning variance in City of Dallas v. Vanesko, 189 S.W.3d 769 (Tex. 2006). In 2005, he became the Chief of Litigation, and in 2007 he became the First Assistant City Attorney.

Education

• Cornell University
  J.D. with Concentration in Advocacy, 1989

• Member, Cornell International Law Journal
  President, Cornell Law Student Association (student government)

• Who's Who Among American Law Students, 1989

• Silver Key Award, American Bar Association/Law Student Division

• Texas A&M University

• B.S., Political Science, 1986

• McFadden and National Merit Scholar

Affiliations & Activities

• Texas Super Lawyer, 2006 and 2007
• AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, 2003
• Admitted to U.S. Supreme Court, 2002
• Member, College of the State Bar of Texas, 2002
• Who’s Who in America, 2002
• Barrister, Patrick E. Higginbotham American Inn of Court, 2001-2004
• Member, City of Plano Heritage Commission, 1999-2002
• Chair, National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC), 1999-2001
• Admitted to U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1998
• Member, Former Student Advisory Board, Texas A&M Department of Political Science, 1998-
• Member, Dallas Bar Association, 1998-
• Member, Board of Directors, NAPC, 1993-2001
• Admitted to U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, 1992
• Recipient, "Heritage Award,” Black Dallas Remembered, Inc., 1992
• Recipient, “Certificate of Appreciation,” Dallas Landmark Commission, 1991
• Admitted to the State Bar of Texas, 1989

Publications & Presentations

• Co-presenter, "Eminent Domain and Regulatory Takings", Annual Conference, Texas Chapter of American Planning Association, Addison, TX, 2007
• Author and speaker, “Deprivations of Street Access: They Aren’t Just Your Teenager’s Problem,” Challenges Facing Local Governments (CLE seminar), Dallas Chapter of Federal Bar Association, Dallas, TX, 2001
• Author and speaker, “How to Avoid Paying for What You Didn’t Take: Defending Zoning Actions Against Inverse Condemnation Claims,” Land Use Litigation Conference (CLE seminar), Southwestern Legal Foundation, Dallas , TX, 2001
• Speaker, “Preservation Commission Short Course,” NAPC and National Trust for Historic Preservation, Los Angeles, CA, 2000
• Speaker, “Takings and Due Process Challenges to Historic Preservation Ordinances,” NAPC National Commission Forum, Pittsburgh, PA, 2000
• Speaker, “Legal Issues in Historic Preservation,” Missouri Certified Local Government Forum, Columbia, MO, 1999
• Author and speaker, “The Moratorium: A Tougher Tool for Texas Cities?,” 3rd Annual Conference on Land Use Planning Law (CLE seminar), University of Texas School of Law, Austin, TX, 1999
• Speaker, “Property Rights Concerns and Legal Challenges,” NAPC National Commission Forum, Denver, CO, 1998
• Author, “Historic Preservation Concerning Private Property,” 30 The Urban Lawyer 405 (Spring 1998) and 1998 Institute on Planning, Zoning & Eminent Domain , Southwestern Legal Foundation, ch. 4 (cited as one of four best articles on historic preservation in 1998 by Stuart L. Deutsch & A. Dan Tarlock, “Annual Survey of Land Use Literature,” 22 Zoning & Planning Law Report 56 (June 1999))
• Author, “Is Owner Consent Objectionable?,” The Alliance Review (May/June 1997)
• Speaker, “ Missouri Commissions Assistance Program,” Regional Training & Assessment Conference, NAPC and Missouri Historic Preservation Program, Lee’s Summit, MO, 1996
• Speaker, “Conflict Resolution in Historic Districts,” 50th National Preservation Conference, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Chicago, IL, 1996
• Author and speaker, “Historic Preservation Law Concerning Private Property,” Challenges Facing Local Governments (CLE seminar), Dallas Chapter of Federal Bar Association, Dallas, TX, 1996
• Speaker, “Enforcement: Putting Teeth into Preservation Ordinances,” 49th National Preservation Conference, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Fort Worth, TX, 1995
• Author, “Is Your Preservation Commission Procedurally Correct?,” The Alliance Review (Summer 1995)
• Speaker, “Sign Regulation and the First Amendment,” Challenges Facing Local Governments (CLE seminar), Dallas Chapter of Federal Bar Association, Dallas, TX, 1994
• Moderator, "Social Regulation Through Zoning,” Annual Conference, Texas Chapter of American Planning Association, Corpus Christi, TX, 1991