About Jack
Jack McCowan completed his undergraduate studies in history at the University of California, Santa Barbara, earning a B.A. in 1970 after beginning his studies in 1966. He went on to receive his J.D. from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco in 1974. Those years set the foundation for a long career that has combined practice, teaching and involvement in professional organizations.
McCowan's practice has been shaped by steady participation in defense-oriented professional groups. He served on the Executive Committee of the International Association of Defense Counsel beginning in 1999. In 2012 he took on a national leadership role at the Defense Research Institute as National Director. Three years later he led the DRI's Center for Law and Public Policy as Chair. Those roles put him in regular contact with peers on issues of litigation strategy, professional standards and policy debates affecting civil defense practice.
He has also spent time in the classroom. In 2012 McCowan taught as an adjunct professor of law at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. His teaching drew on practical courtroom experience and the professional work that had taken him into policy discussions and national committee work. Students recall his practical orientation and the real-world examples he used to illustrate doctrinal points.
In private practice, McCowan joined Gordon & Rees LLP as Of Counsel in 2019. The position reflects a later-career shift toward advisory and appellate-oriented engagements, in which he draws on decades of experience. Over the years he has handled matters typical of defense counsel and participated in briefings and panels at national meetings that explored developments in civil litigation and public policy.
Beyond specific roles, McCowan has maintained continuous professional association membership since 1974. That long-standing participation parallels his commitments to education and organization leadership, and it has kept him connected to evolving practice trends and rule changes.
Today he splits his time between counsel work at Gordon & Rees LLP and occasional teaching and speaking engagements. His current practice focuses on defense litigation matters and law and public policy issues.
