For more than three decades trial lawyer Lawrence “Larry” Bowman has represented clients in complex commercial litigation, including construction, energy, contractual, tort, product liability, intellectual property, antitrust, and securities matters. He counsels a broad spectrum of individual corporate and insurance company clients in the courtroom during trials and around the negotiation table in the settlement of significant cases.
Larry enjoys representing people and organizations involved in building things and adding value to their communities. He frequently advises contractors and subcontractors and other construction-related companies dealing with disasters such as fires, crane failures, and structural collapses. The process of large-scale commercial construction comes fraught with many kinds of risks, and Larry’s clients rely on him to guide them through the aftermath of accidents, injuries, construction defects, and other challenging situations.
With many years of experience and an in-depth insight into the legal landscape, Larry quickly reads and understands the relationships among the parties involved in conflicts stemming from project incidents. He adeptly synthesizes information—including physical evidence, eyewitness testimonies, and personal observations—to create coherent and influential accounts that explain why and how something happened, who is responsible, who may not be responsible.
When clients hire Larry he takes the time to discuss their issues empathetically and thoroughly, see things from their perspective, and gain a keen understanding of their problems in all their dimensions. He then draws on his broad and deep knowledge to create sensible strategies that contain and manage problems while helping clients attain their goals. If courtroom litigation is the best path forward, Larry brings skilled and passionate advocacy to maximize outcomes.
Away from the Office
In his free time, Larry is an avid reader of many types of prose and frequently attends movies and theater performances. In addition to swimming, hiking, and playing golf, he travels often for both work and pleasure and enjoys spending time with his wife Julia, their three children, and five grandchildren.
Experience
For over 30 years, Larry has represented clients in complex commercial litigation matters including contractual, tort, construction, product liability, intellectual property, antitrust and securities.
- $25 million in claims resulting from the collision of the M/V BRIGHTFIELD with the New Orleans Riverwalk Mall and connecting hotel in New Orleans resulting in an 85 percent recovery for all property damage.
- $17 million claim of RT Realty against the Dallas Area Rapid Transit and Gilbert Construction regarding the blocking of drainage and sewer lines which caused a fire and electrical failures in the RT Realty building during a 100-year storm due to flooding.
- $10 million settlement involving complex construction defect claims representing the homeowners of a high-end condominium development on Lake Travis, Texas arising from defective design and construction.
- $4 million construction claim involving the property owners of a high-rise condominium development in Austin, Texas.
- $40 million claim involving a ruptured gas pipeline in Greenville, Texas resulting in a favorable confidential settlement.
- $105 million dollar claim involving the failure of blowout preventers in a high temperature high pressure gas well in Southern Louisiana.
- Recovered full contract damages, attorney’s fees and costs for a large road builder in a dispute with the project owner and project engineer.
- Successfully prosecuted a claim for a subcontractor against general contractor involved in manufacturing housing units on a military base in Oklahoma.
- Successfully tried many fire cases involving both personal injury and damages to real and personal property.
Clients
Larry has represented a broad spectrum of individual corporate and insurance company clientele at trial and in settlement of significant cases.
Publications
- Co-author, The Ins and Outs of Waivers of Subrogation, Texas State Bar Construction Law Conference, March 2021
- Case Summary: Overcoming a Motion to Strike and Exclude Expert Testimony in Fire Cases, Subrogator Magazine, Spring/Summer 2017, at 26
- Amount Recoverable in Subrogation, New Appleman on Insurance Law Library Edition ch.162, Sep. 2015
- Co-author, Kane Russell Coleman & Logan Subrogation Guide (book published in 2013)
- Author, Broad-Form Indemnity Eliminated in Construction-Related Contracts in Texas, Construction Law Journal (December 2012)
Frequent author for many organizations, including:
- National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP)
- National Economic Research Association (NERA)
- Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB)
- Bar associations and clients in the insurance industry and other arenas
Presentations
- Presenter, “In the Eye of the Storm: Lessons Learned, CLM 2021 Annual Conference, August 2021
- Presenter, The Ins and Outs of Waivers of Subrogation, 34th Annual Texas State Bar Construction Law Conference, March 2021
- Presenter, Ambiguity in Insurance Policies, 2018 Executive Association Annual Conference, January 2018
- Presenter, Cross-examination of Witnesses, 2017 Dallas ABOTA Trial Academy, October 2017
- Presenter, Cross Examination of Witnesses, KRCL Litigation Seminar, June 2017
- Presenter, Unwitting Waiver of the Attorney-Client Privilege, 30th Annual Construction Law Conference for the Texas State Bar, March 2017
- Presenter, Taking Effective Depositions, University of Texas Law Conference, September 2012
Frequent lecturer for many organizations, including:
- National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP)
- National Economic Research Association (NERA)
- Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB)
- Bar associations and clients in the insurance industry and other arenas
Associations
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- American Bar Association
- American Trial Lawyers Association
- Association of Trial Lawyers
- Dallas Bar Association
- Defense Research Institute
- National Association of Subrogation Professionals
- National Fire Protection Association
- Member – Loss Executives Association (LEA)
- Fellow – Litigation Counsel of America (LCA)
- Member – Counsel on Litigation Management (CLM)
