Reflecting on your time at Davis Graham, what was the most valuable lesson you learned?
JDS: Denver is a small town. Moving here from Texas and thinking of Denver as a big sports town, I presumed it would be like Dallas, my hometown. But Denver lives way smaller, especially in the legal community, which is a great thing. Now if we could only get some more Tex-Mex...
JMB: From day one at the firm, I learned to approach all legal work with excellence and precision. We see many lawyers out there that did not learn these skills, and it shows.
What inspired you to open Bowlin & Schall LLC together?
JDS: While at DGS, John and I spoke frequently about solving problems, whether getting better coffee for the Firm (ask Debbie Schoonover about that) or finding the right leverage in a case. We also spoke about how society isn't really set up for the two-working-professionals-with-kids family. Something had to give, and taking the risk meant betting on ourselves.
JMB: Well we certainly have complimentary skillsets and temperaments, which answers the question of why we chose to be partners. But as to opening a new law firm, we saw a real opportunity to use technology to replace many of the cost centers of legal practice—that's why we decided to go out on our own instead of bringing our practices to some other established firm.
What are some pro bono or community service experiences that have had a significant impact on your career? What did you learn from these opportunities, and how have they influenced your path?
JDS: Coaching my daughter's softball team, no doubt. In some ways the lessons are the same as my first job as a bus boy at a barbecue restaurant: people are all different, and to bring out their best you must find a way to speak to their strengths and put them in a position to succeed.
JMB: On every pro bono and service experience I have had, the greatest growth has been in learning how to communicate better with people from all walks of life. That's invaluable as a lawyer whose primary value-add is communicating well with judges, lawyers, clients, and jurors.
What is the biggest difference between working at Davis Graham and running your own firm?
JDS: Flexibility. As a driven professional, it's hard enough to say no, but when you work with 150 other lawyers and countless clients, it's realistically not possible.
Convincing one like-minded partner that we aren't a good fit for a particular client is much easier. As are picking the partner development excursions.
JMB: I miss having many other lawyers to bounce ideas off of and talk through difficult problems, but the biggest difference in my practice is being able to pick and choose only the cases that appeal to us and our business model.
What is your favorite memory of working at Davis Graham?
JDS: The people. DGS made Denver my professional home, but the relationships formed there made it so I never want to leave. I'm grateful for the training and experience, of course, but it was the random lunches and happy hours that left lasting memories.
JMB: As that late Charlie Munger often said, I have nothing to add.
Who are some of the people at Davis Graham that had the greatest influence on you and why?
JDS: Chad Williams gave me a chance when others wouldn't, and I'll never forget that. His wisdom and guidance meant a lot to me and, ironically, helped me develop the confidence I needed to hang a shingle. And the late, great Dick Holme was my office neighbor. I'm sure his wisdom wafted through the walls.
JMB: Andy Low, Jon Rauchway, and Shannon Stevenson had the most hands-on influence on me as a young lawyer, and I'd say that any legal skills I've developed thus far are due to their patient and generous mentorship.
What DGS tradition would you like to see extended to the alumni network?
JDS: Definitely poker night. There aren't that many inter-generational events among lawyers, and that one always seemed to draw a crowd.
JMB: +1 for poker night. What a blast that was.
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