About James P.
James P. Cowles built his foundation in environmental studies before he went to law school. He earned a B.S. in Environmental Conservation: Policy and Management from the University of New Hampshire in 2000. He followed that with a J.D. from Vermont Law School in 2005, where his coursework included environmental law, land use law and civil rights.
His education informs the kinds of matters he pursues professionally. Admitted to practice in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, he has worked on issues at the intersection of environmental regulation and land development. That background gives him a footing in disputes over permits, zoning and regulatory compliance, as well as in civil rights questions that arise from environmental and land use decisions.
Cowles joined Walker & Varney P.C., where he serves as an attorney handling disputes and regulatory work. He practices in state and administrative forums and advises clients about how rulemaking and policy can affect property and resource use. He is comfortable parsing technical reports and statutes and translating them into concrete legal positions.
Colleagues describe him as methodical in his preparation. He tends to break complex problems into discrete issues. That approach is evident in the way he frames arguments and prepares for hearings. He combines an environmental science background with years of legal training to address matters that often require both technical and legal analysis.
Outside of formal advocacy, he spends time keeping current on developments in land use and environmental regulation. The pace of statutory and regulatory change in those fields can be brisk, and he reads court decisions and agency rules to identify shifts that may affect clients. He also draws on his undergraduate training in policy and management when advising on permitting strategy and compliance planning.
In his work at Walker & Varney P.C., Cowles handles a range of matters tied to environmental law, land use and civil rights. He represents clients before regulatory bodies and in contested proceedings, and he counsels them on navigating permits and zoning processes. He currently focuses his practice on environmental, land use and civil rights matters.
