Robert
L. Bowman is a partner in the firm’s Employment
Law Group. He was recently selected as a "Top 40 Under 40" by the Greater Knoxville Business Journal. The "Top 40 Under 40" is an award presented to the best business and community leaders, under age 40, who are making their mark in East Tennessee.
Mr. Bowman has represented individual and management
clients in complex litigation involving employment,
Fair Labor Standards Act, non-competition and trade
secret issues. Many
of his cases have involved multiple plaintiffs. He recently
defended a municipality in a Fair Labor Standards
Act case involving over 70 plaintiffs. Mr. Bowman
played a significant role in handling discovery, drafting
a dispositive motion and negotiating a favorable settlement
for the client. In late 2004, Mr. Bowman was retained
by a multi-national mining company to defend over 100 employee benefits
cases pending against it in several counties in East
Tennessee.
His
recent trial experience involves representing
a national school photography company in a non-competition
and trade secrets lawsuit against a former sales person
and his new employer. After a week-long trial, Mr.
Bowman obtained a verdict for compensatory damages of over $530,000 against
the defendants. Mr. Bowman's client was also awarded punitive damages.
Mr.
Bowman’s practice also includes appellate work
in state and federal courts. He successfully defended
in the Tennessee Court of Appeals and Supreme Court an award of summary
judgment to an employer accused of retaliation. In 2007, Mr. Bowman successfully defended a sexual harassment claim against the owner and president of a textile company based in East Tennessee. The case was dismissed on summary judgment and sanctions and costs were entered against the plaintiff and her counsel.
Born
in Kingsport, Tennessee, Mr. Bowman received his
B.A., with Honors, in Political Science from the University
of Tennessee at Knoxville and his J.D., cum laude,
from the University of Tennessee College of Law.
Before
attending law school, Mr. Bowman served as a legislative
aid to the Minority Floor Leader of the Tennessee
House of Representatives. While in law school, he
participated in the school’s mock trial competition,
served on the Moot Court Board, and was a member of
the Order of Coif. Since
joining Kramer Rayson, he has written articles on
employee leave and retaliation issues, and has spoken
at numerous seminars on employment law.
Mr. Bowman
is a former East Tennessee Delegate to the Executive Council
of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Labor &
Employment Law Section. He is a member of the Knoxville
Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, and the
American Bar Association. Mr.
Bowman is married and has two children. He enjoys
traveling with his wife, Tennessee football, Boston
Red Sox baseball, quail and turkey hunting, and spending
time with his family.
Published Decisions
