Barbara A. Bowden
Attorney & Owner
Barbara Ann Bowden first knew she wanted to be an attorney because of her father. He was also an attorney, and if you asked Barbara about him, she’d say he was the kindest, nicest, most helpful lawyer one could ever meet.
She decided to pave her own path in law pretty early on in her education; she, too, was driven by that same passion he had for helping the people of Tacoma, Washington. It is that drive and those family values that laid the foundation for the solid, community-oriented business that the Law Offices of Barbara A. Bowden is today.
“I believe in treating others the way I would want to be treated.”
Born and raised in Western Washington, she graduated from Kent/Meridian High School in 1977. Barbara went on to complete her undergraduate studies at Washington State University, where she graduated with honors in 1982. Barbara continued her education and graduated with honors from the University of Puget Sound Law School in 1985. During her studies, she also passed the CPA exam. She became a licensed attorney in the State of Washington in 1986 and has been serving Tacoma and surrounding areas ever since! Her prolific success in the courtroom and experience practicing DUI and traffic defense law are undeniable. She also speaks regularly at Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars.
“I’m passionate about education and knowledge because they give you freedom. Education gave me the ability to truly make an impact on peoples’ lives.”
Barbara’s favorite part of being a defense attorney is handling a case from beginning to end. She loves having the ability to turn something negative into something positive with the help of her office. When someone calls her office, they could be stressed; they could be weary and under a lot of pressure. She loves being an attorney not only because she can help people, but also because she can wipe away their fears and relieve them of their stress. She is extremely passionate about making a positive impact on people’s lives through the tireless work of her law office.
When Barbara is not in the office (or in the courtroom–the life of a successful trial attorney!), she is doing her other job–being a mom. Being a single mom, you can imagine that Barbara is quite busy. Her daughters, Jenny and Abby are 12 and 13. Jenny is very artistic and Abby is very competitive in sports. especially soccer. That’s not all; her family also takes care of 4 dwarf goats, 3 chickens, 3 dogs, 3 hamsters, and 3 cats.
She’ll tell anyone: her two daughters inspire her more and more every day. They’ve even volunteered to help Barbara create videos to increase her website presence. She’s inspired by their perseverance and enduring joy. Barbara demonstrates that same enthusiasm and perseverance in the courtroom.
Enthusiasm and excellence are not the only things she brings to the courtroom, either. If you’ve seen Barbara in the courthouse, you know all about Trial Bear, the sparkly, jewel-studded bear she wears when she goes to trial.
Quick Facts About Barbara Bowden
- Favorite sports team: Seahawks and WSU Cougars
- Favorite treat: Girl Scout cookies (Barbara bought twenty boxes just this year!)
- Favorite restaurants: Casa Mia
- Supported causes: Humane Society, breast cancer awareness, foster care programs
- Favorite book: anything by Danielle Steele
Click here to contact Barbara today.
Barbara Bowden Identified as One of the Top DUI Attorneys in Washington by the National Advocacy for DUI Defense (NAFDD)
Barbara Bowden is a member of the National Advocacy for DUI Defense (NAFDD), LLC, an organization that awards the nation’s best private Driving Under the Influence (DUI) attorneys.
NAFDD identifies the top criminal defense attorneys in each state based upon their experience, reputation, and achievements, among other factors. Those who are selected spend a significant portion of their practice representing individuals accused of DUI offenses (sometimes called DWI, DWII, OUI, OVI, OWI or OUII).
DUI law is a highly specialized field. Effective DUI attorneys navigate through many complex legal issues, including the lawfulness of stops, detentions, and arrests; the reliability of field sobriety tests; the accuracy of breath and blood testing methods, including retrograde extrapolations; and driver license ramifications and administrative hearings. The attorneys selected by NAFDD have distinguished themselves by demonstrating particularized knowledge, skill, experience, and expertise in each of these areas, among others.
NAFDD’s selection criteria are driven by a number of considerations. To meet minimum eligibility requirements, an attorney (1) must be licensed and in good standing with his or her state bar organization, (2) must be in private practice, (3) has to have practiced DUI law for at least seven years, and (4) must devote a significant portion of his or her practice to DUI defense. Additional factors include:
- Total length of time the attorney has been practicing criminal law
- Number of DUI clients the attorney has represented
- Jury trial experience
- Bench trial experience
- DUI case results
- Formal DUI training
- DUI publications
- DUI presentations
- Available peer reviews
- Available client reviews
- DUI-related achievements and/or awards
- History of ethical disciplinary actions
Ms. Bowden is an experienced DUI attorney, who has been in practice since 1986. She vigorously defends DUI cases in the Lakewood area and has once again, for the 4th consecutive year, been identified as a top DUI attorney in Washington.
For more information about the National Advocacy for DUI Defense (NAFDD) and specific selection criteria for top DUI attorneys, visit www.nafdd.org.
The National Advocacy for DUI Defense understands that there is no easy way to separate an accomplished DUI attorney from the less experienced. By recognizing the best DUI attorneys in each state and across the nation, NAFDD validates professional excellence in the legal community. Its statewide selections serve as a valuable resource for clients looking for experienced and competent DUI defense counsel.