M. John Bowen, Jr.

John Bowen advises and regularly represents telephone companies in regulatory matters before the SC Public Service Commission, state circuit/appellate courts, SC Supreme Court and in FCC matters. Key matters have included all aspects of implementation of the federal Telecommunications Act, including negotiation and arbitration of interconnection agreements; creation and implementation of the State Universal Service Fund; pay telephone deregulation; access reform, rate rebalancing and creation of the Interim LEC Fund; and inter-carrier compensation reform.

John also represents clients who are organizing partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), and corporations. Most of these clients are within the communications industry – including wireline and wireless communications providers, fiber optics suppliers, Internet service providers and other communication-related businesses. For them, John drafts management and operations agreements and plays an important role in assisting ongoing operations.

John Bowen was born in Williamsburg, Virginia. Following graduation from law school in 1968, John served as Staff Attorney and then as an Assistant Attorney General for South Carolina. In 1970, he was named Chief of the Antitrust and Consumer Protection Division of the South Carolina Attorney General’s office. From 1972 until 1976, John served as general counsel to the South Carolina Public Service Commission. During that time he assisted in the organization of Committee on Law in the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and became its first chairman. John joined the firm in 1976 and was subsequently made a partner. He managed the Administrative/Regulatory and Governmental/Legislative Affairs sections of the firm for a number of years. From 1976 to 1978, John served as special counsel to a committee of the South Carolina Legislature and to the Governor of South Carolina with regard to utilities and energy.

• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, Energy Law since 2005, Utilities Law since 2016
• Awarded, Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating

• Utilities Committee, SC Administrative and Regulatory Law Association
• Diaconate, First Presbyterian Church
• Sigma Chi Fraternity House Corporation Board, Vice Chairman
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Foundation Board, Chairman
• Deacon at church
• Palmetto Club Board, Treasurer
• Major General, Army of the United States (ret)

• South Carolina Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Richland County Bar Association
• South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
• City of Columbia Chamber of Commerce

Legal Practice Assistant

Stephanie A. Castillo
(803) 753-3378
scastillo@burr.com