Madigan, Dahl & Harlan, P.A. logo

Contact Us Now To Begin A Consultation

AGILE LAW FIRM, PROVEN RESULTS

Christopher W. Bowman

Bio

Christopher Bowman joined Madigan, Dahl & Harlan as an associate in November 2019 and became a shareholder with the firm in January 2023. His practice area is a blend of litigation and transactional work, with a particular emphasis on appeals, employment litigation, and trademark protection. In addition to his work at the trial-court level, Chris has served as lead appellate counsel before the Fifth, Eighth, and Ninth Circuits, the Iowa Supreme Court, and both the Minnesota Court of Appeals and Minnesota Supreme Court, including multiple issues of first impression and other important questions on a wide range of practice areas, and has consulted or otherwise served as "drop-in" appellate counsel for clients and lawyers around the Country. Chris is also a frequent presenter on appellate topics at CLE Courses.

Chris has served on the Council for the Minnesota State Bar Association's Appellate Practice Section since 2018, including as its Chair for the 2022-2023 Bar Year. In addition to his private clients, Chris has represented the MSBA before the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals on multiple occasions, either as amicus or as counsel appointed by the appellate courts or the MSBA to ensure a full development of the arguments, on matters relating to civil rights litigation, family law, and civil and criminal procedure. In recognition of his pro bono appellate service, Chris was awarded the MSBA's Award of Professional Excellence in June 2019.

Chris received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Government and English from Lawrence University of Wisconsin before earning his J.D., cum laude, from William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Away from the office, Chris can usually be found with his family and/or doing something related to hockey, either as a goaltender with local HockeyFinder leagues or as a fan at Mariucci, Ridder, or the Xcel Center.

Practice Areas

  • Appellate Practice
  • Business/Civil/Corporate/Commercial Law and Litigation
  • Trademark Protection
  • Distribution and Franchise Law and Litigation
  • Employment Law and Litigation
  • Real Estate Law and Litigation
Education
  • William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota
    • J.D. - 2009
    • Honors: cum laude
    • Honors: Merit Scholarship (Equal to 75% of Annual Tuition)
    • Honors: CALI Excellence for the Future Award: Torts I
    • Honors: CALI Excellence for the Future Award: Business: Agency, Partnerships, and LLCs
    • Honors: Editor, William Mitchell Journal of Law and Practice
  • Lawrence University of Wisconsin, Appleton, Wisconsin
    • B.A. - 2006
    • Major: English and Government
Bar Admissions
  • Minnesota, 2009
  • U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 2013
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin, 2018
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 2013
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2013
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 2013
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 2014
  • Supreme Court of the United States of America, 2016
Professional Associations
  • Minnesota State Bar Association
  • MSBA Appellate Practice Section (Section Chair, 2022-2023; Section Council, 2018-Present)
  • Hennepin County Bar Association
Honors
  • Minnesota Rising Star (Labor & Employment), 2018-2022
  • Best Lawyers in America (Railroad Law), 2018-2020
  • Minnesota State Bar Association Professional Excellence Award, 2019