MICHAEL J. BOWERS, former Attorney General of Georgia, joined the firm in September of 1998. He became Partner in January of 2000.
Upon obtaining his law degree, Mr. Bowers accepted a position with the State of Georgia Attorney General's Office, where he worked until he was appointed Attorney General of Georgia in 1981. Mr. Bowers was reelected four times and served as Attorney General until June of 1997, when he resigned from office in order to seek the Republican nomination for Governor.
Mr. Bowers served in the United States Air Force from 1963-1970, when he joined the Air National Guard, from which he retired in 1997 at the rank of Major General. From 1994 to 1997, he served as Chair of the National Guard Bureau's Counterdrug Board in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Bowers' practice is focused on civil litigation with an emphasis on representation of private entities having conflicts with governmental agencies. Most recently, he successfully argued the unconstitutionality of the State Charter School Commission in the Supreme Court of Georgia and jointly led the Governor's investigation of cheating by teachers on standardized tests in the Atlanta and Dougherty County public schools.
Georgia Trend Magazine named Mr. Bowers as one of the 100 Most Influential Georgians from their beginning in 1990 through 1997 and again in 2003 and 2012. He served as Chairman of the Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission from 2003 through 2010.
Mike and his wife, Bette Rose, are the parents of three grown children and reside in Commerce, Georgia.
Professional Activities
· Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 2003-present
· State Bar of Georgia
· Atlanta Bar Association
· American Bar Association
· Lawyers Club of Atlanta
· Listed in Super Lawyers, 2004-present
· Georgia Super Lawyer, Top 100, 2009
· Listed in Georgia's Best Lawyers for Bet the Company, Mass Tort and Commercial Litigation
· Listed in Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business
· United States Air Force, 1963-1970
· Air National Guard, 1970-1997
News
January 11, 2012, Mike Bowers Again Named to Top 100 Most Influential Georgians by Georgia Trend Magazine
November 29, 2011, Balch partner Mike Bowers appears on NBC's "Rock Center With Brian Williams" to discuss the cheating scandal at Atlanta Public Schools
May 17, 2011, Balch & Bingham Shows Strong in Georgia's Best Lawyers and Georgia's Super Lawyers 2011
April 28, 2009, Five Balch Attorneys Listed in Georgia's Best Lawyers
October 01, 2008, Mike Bowers Named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle's Who's Who
February 23, 2008, Mike Bowers honored with the Charles L. Weltner Freedom of Information Awards from the Georgia First Amendment Foundation
January 02, 2008, Glenn Emerges Victorious from Long Legal Fray
November 15, 2007, Bowers noted in "JQC Charges Second Clinch County Judge"
November 02, 2007, JQC moves against South Georgia judge
February 23, 2007, Georgia's 2007 Super Lawyers
Publications
February 13, 2009, Litigating Against Government Entities in Georgia.
Michael J. Bowers
Georgia Appellate Monthly.
Events
November 30, 2007, Balch Attorneys to Moderate "False Claims Litigation in Georgia"
October 8, 2007, Balch & Bingham Atlanta office hosts Georgia Senators