Richard T. Bowles is a 1969 graduate from Hastings College of the Law (with honors). He also graduated in 1966 from the University of California, Berkeley, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with emphases in accounting, finance and personnel administration. While at Hastings, he was a member of the Thurston Society, a writer on the Hastings law journal and also served as a note comment editor in his final year. Mr. Bowles graduated Order of the Coif.

Mr. Bowles is a member of the American Bar Association, the California Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Defense Counsel, the San Francisco Bar Association, the Contra Costa County Bar Association, and the American Arbitration Association. He also serves as an arbitrator for San Francisco Superior Court and Contra Costa County Superior Court, and has been a guest speaker at various continuing education seminars including real property, property owner rights and litigation.

Michael P. Verna

Michael P. Verna is a 1975 graduate of the University of California at Berkeley (Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude) and a 1978 graduate of Hastings College of the Law. He joined the large San Francisco law firm of Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon upon graduation, where he became a partner in 1984. In 1986, Mr. Verna joined Richard T. Bowles (another former Bronson partner) to form Bowles & Verna.

Mr. Verna is an experienced trial attorney with an extensive record of accomplishment. He holds an A.V. rating from the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory (highest rating), and has been certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy ("NBTA") since 1986. The NBTA is the only organization accredited by both the American Bar Association and the California State Bar in the specialty area of civil trial law. Mr. Verna has also been elected by his peers in the trial bar to membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates ("ABOTA"), San Francisco Chapter, and been selected as a Diplomate with the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys (medical and product liability emphasis) and to the position of Senior Counsel with the American College of Barristers. He additionally enjoys membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which is comprised only of those attorneys who have obtained jury verdicts or settlements for at least one million dollars for their clients. One such case of his was featured in the Verdicts and Settlements supplement of the June 1997 issue of the Los Angeles Daily Journal.

Mr. Verna is a member in good standing of the American Bar Association (Torts and Insurance Practice Section), State Bar of California, and the Contra Costa County Bar Association. He is admitted to practice in all California State and Federal Trial and Appellate Courts. In addition to the professional organizations mentioned above, Mr. Verna is a member of the Defense Research Institute; the American Trial Lawyers Association; the Consumer Attorneys of California; and the Alameda-Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association.

To inquire further about our firm, simply click here to send us an email or call Michael P. Verna of the firm at 925-935-3300.