Memorials, 0915 ALBJ, 76 The Alabama Lawyer 350 (2015)
| Author | Albert C. Bowen, Jr. J. |
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\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Albert C. Bowen, Jr.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0"Larger than Life"
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0March 11,1333-May S, 2015
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0A proud graduate of the University of Alabama, Al Bowen began his legal career as a prosecutor in the Jefferson County District Attorney's office. After several years of service to the citizens of Jefferson County, Al became an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. In 1975, Al went into private practice where, for 35 years, he defended criminal cases. Al's primary practice was defending high-profile white collar criminal cases in the federal courts. After his retirement from full-time law practice in 2010, Al enjoyed golf with his "Blue Tee" golf group at Vestavia Country Club, bass fishing in Lay Lake and attending his beloved University of Alabama football games and the Birmingham Red Elephant Club meetings. Most of all, Al enjoyed attending his church, Mountain Brook Baptist Church, and his Sunday school class, the Dotson Nelson Bible Study.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0I heard a great sermon one time entitled "Larger than Life." Al truly personified that expression. The sermon was based on the premise that anyone who truly leads a life based on the Christian faith was, in fact, "Larger than Life." Professionally, spiritually and personally, Al Bowen was larger than life.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Thirty-plus years ago, I got a call from Jimmy Fullen. Jimmy asked me to join a trial team being assembled to represent several police officers. Judge Jimmy Hancock sought me out when he learned I was going to represent one of the officers and told me, "You are going to be in the company of Big Al Bowen, the single best trial lawyer I have ever seen." After all my years of trying cases with and without Al Bowen, it is without hesitation I say that Al Bowen was the single best trial lawyer I ever had the privilege to work with and learn from.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Al was fearless in his determination to defeat injustice. Any adversary who challenged Al's honesty or integrity quickly learned they had made a mistake. He did not suffer fools (or Auburn fans like me) lightly. No one ever left a conversation with Al and said, "I wonder what...
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