Experience

Attorney Richard Bowen is an authority in municipal law specializing in general municipal issues, litigation and contract and procurement matters. He serves as Town Counsel to several towns throughout Massachusetts and Special Counsel to numerous other communities, municipal officials, boards and agencies. His broad experience includes First Amendment and Article 16 challenges to the validity of municipal regulations; Appellate Tax Board practice; admiralty, torts; licensing; public records; conflicts of interest; adult entertainment; open meeting law; eminent domain; and drafting charter provisions. Attorney Bowen is also an experienced litigator and represents clients before state and federal courts and administrative agencies.

Attorney Bowen has extensive experience serving in local government as a selectman and town moderator in the Town of Scituate and in leadership positions on the Plymouth County Charter Commission and Advisory Board.

Representative Matters

• DHL Associates, Inc. v. John O’Gorman, et al., (Town of Tyngsborough) 199 F.3d 50 (1st Cir.1999) cert. den. 120 S.Ct. (2000). Upheld the constitutionality of a five-lot adult entertainment zoning district, which was challenged by an adult entertainment club operator who claimed that the district was too small and was adopted without formal studies of adverse secondary effects.
• Rum Runners v. Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, 43 Mass. App. Ct. 248 (1997). Leading case holding license holders liable for narcotics sales by patrons on a licensed premises.
• Take Five Vending, Ltd. v. Town of Provincetown, 415 Mass. 741 (1993). The first Massachusetts decision that confirmed a municipality’s authority to ban the sale of tobacco products.

Public Office

Town of Scituate, MA
Selectman (1983-1989); Chairman of the Board of Selectmen (1986-1987); Clerk(1983)
Moderator(2004-2007)
Deputy Moderator(2004)
Plymouth County, MA
Plymouth County Charter Commission,Vice Chairman(1987-1988)
Plymouth County Advisory Board(1983-1989);Executive Committee(1987-1988)

Memberships & Affiliations

• Massachusetts Bar Association
• Plymouth County Selectmen’s Association (1986-1989); Secretary (1986);

Vice President (1987); President (1988)

• Appellate Tax Board Advisory Committee (1995)

Bar & Court Admissions

• Massachusetts Bar
• U.S. District Court (Mass.)
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
• Supreme Court of the United States

Education

Suffolk University School of Law
Juris Doctor, 1988

College of the Holy Cross
Bachelor of Arts, 1978

Publications

• Co-author, “Intermunicipal Agreements For Regional Wastewater Cooperation,” Journal of the New England Water Environment Association, Volume 34, No. 1, May 2000

Speaking Engagements

• Massachusetts Municipal Association

“100 Practical Points of Municipal Law”
“Adult Entertainment Licensing and Zoning”

• “Appellate Tax Board Practice for Paralegals,” Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education
• “Intermunicipal Agreements,” New England Water Environmental Association
• “Adult Entertainment-Licensing and Zoning Issues,” Plymouth County Selectmen’s Association
• “Basic Contract Law for Procurement Officers,” Massachusetts Association of Public Purchasing Officials
• Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers

“Municipal Law Review”
“Valuation of Golf Courses under G.L. c.61B”
“Appellate Tax Board Discovery Practice”
“Introduction to Appellate Tax Board Practice”

• “Practice at the Appellate Tax Board,” Five County Joint Meeting – Assessors’ and Clerks’ Association
• “Appellate Tax Board Practice Outline,” Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin County Assessors Associations

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