Allen G. Bowman

Allen G. Bowman joined AMMCG in 2007 and was named a partner in 2015. His primary practice areas include wine, beer and spirits law and business and nonprofit advising and litigation.

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

Wine, Beer and Spirits

Mr. Bowman works with several wineries and breweries on all facets of their businesses including entity formation, mergers and acquisitions of brands, intellectual property matters and brand protection, licensing, real estate issues, personnel matters and distribution issues. Mr. Bowman also serves on the management committee for the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest, which has been recognized by numerous trade and industry groups as the preeminent beer festival in the United States.

Some of Mr. Bowman’s more interesting projects include:

  • Represented grape sellers and wine producers before the California Department of Food & Agriculture Market Enforcement Branch
  • Represented majority owners of prominent winery in partnership dispute and successfully negotiated buyout of minority owner
  • Represented seller of winery to large national, multi-brand conglomerate
  • Advised and assisted investors in forming winery brand holding company and associated intellectual property licensing companies
  • Represented seller of wine storage and shipping fulfillment center to large national company
  • Provides general counsel to the Paso Robles Wine County Alliance (“PRWCA”) on Board governance, personnel and contract matters
  • Formed regional craft brewers trade organization called the Central Coast Brewers Consortium
  • Advised brewery in raising capital for brewery expansion and prepared all documents for admission of new equity members
  • Prepared sponsorship and licensing agreements for brewery’s national marketing campaign
  • Represented seller in multi-million-dollar vineyard sale and associated vineyard lease and well-sharing transaction
  • Negotiated and prepared numerous vineyard leases, vineyard management contracts, custom crush agreements, alternating premises agreements and winemaker consultant agreements
  • Represented breweries and wineries in management of trademark and IP portfolios

Business and Nonprofit

Mr. Bowman is an experienced business and nonprofit attorney and has represented businesses and nonprofits on a broad spectrum of matters including entity formation and governance, contract disputes, unfair competition and trade secret issues, intellectual property matters and trademark matters, achieving tax exempt status, fundraising, personnel matters and general operations.

PRIOR WORK HISTORY

Upon graduating from law school, Mr. Bowman accepted a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Maureen McKenna Goldberg, Senior Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. He then went on to practice in Phoenix, Arizona with the national product liability defense firm Bowman & Brooke LLP.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, ADMISSIONS, STANDING

Mr. Bowman is a member of the California Bar Association and the San Luis Obispo County Bar Association. He is admitted to practice in all Superior Courts and Federal Courts in the State of California.

WRITING AND SPEAKING

Legal Trends in the Wine Industry
Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Educational Series 2022

Legal Trends in the Wine Industry
Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Educational Series 2021

Dazed and Confused – Conflicts Between Federal and State Cannabis Law
Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce Membership Meeting 2018

Veterans Benefits Eligibility and Claims Process
KSCO AM 1080 Radio – Veterans Law Forum 2015

Trademark Issues for Beer and Wine Producers
Central Coast Craft Brewers Consortium 2015

Grape Purchase Agreements – Contract Formation and Dispute Resolution
Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Membership Meeting 2013

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts (Political Science), University of Richmond

Juris Doctor, Roger Williams University School of Law

PERSONAL

Prior to practicing law, Mr. Bowman was a collegiate Track & Field coach at Cuyamaca College and was a founding member of the Collegiate Running Association. Mr. Bowman competed collegiately at the University of Richmond. He currently resides in Paso Robles. In his spare time, he is an active community member and volunteer. He enjoys coaching youth athletics and spending time with his family.

 

Allen G. Bowman