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Honoring the career of Charles W. Bowser, Esquire.
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WHEREAS, The Council of the City of Philadelphia is pleased and proud to honor Mr. Charles Bowser, Esquire for nearly 50 years of civic and community service to the City of Philadelphia through his outstanding work as an attorney, serving the legal needs of the City’s residents -- residents he aided with the same fervor and dedication, regardless of their background or status; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Bowser earned his credentials as an attorney in 1958, graduating from the Temple University School of Law. Prior to that, he earned a B.S. in Journalism from the same institution. He arrived at Temple just after his graduation from the well-reputed Central High School of Philadelphia in 1948. Once he earned his law degree, Mr. Bowser became partner of his own firm, Hazel and Bowser, until he moved on from the practice in order to pursue a position as Executive Director of the Philadelphia Anti-Poverty Action Committee, where he remained through the late 1960’s; and
WHEREAS, Following his work at the Anti-Poverty Action Committee, Mr. Bowser’s expertise in his craft gave him the ability to make the leap to serving in the distinguished capacity of Deputy Mayor of Philadelphia from 1967 to1969. Thereafter, he worked as Executive Director of the esteemed Philadelphia Urban Coalition between 1968 and 1975. The combination of his work at the Coalition, coupled with his stellar professional reputation are surely the elements that won him the endorsement as Democratic Primary Candidate for Mayor in 1979, while he was working as Senior Partner at Pechner, Dorfman, Wolffe, Rounick & Cabot; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Bowser smoothly made the transition from the campaign path, back to the war path, fighting as staunchly as ever for his clients upon his return to Pechner, Dorfman, where he remained until the late 1980’s. After spending a few years working for other firms, Mr. Bowser returned in 1990 to his professional beginnings, again establishing his own firm, Bowser & Weaver, PC, where he served as President, and in June 2004, added to his impressive list of professional accomplishments by opening the Bowser Law Center in Center City, an institution dedication to fighting for equality, civil rights, and overall justice and empowerment for all Philadelphians; and
WHEREAS, Throughout an impressive and ever-changing career, many prominent figures in Mr. Bower’s field have taken notice of the quality, variety, and level of commitment in his work, and have recognized him through honors and appointments including appointment as Special Counsel to Drafting Chairman of Platform Committee of the 1988 Democratic National Convention; as Advisory Committee on Appellate Court Rules of Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, by appointment of Chief Justice Robert N.C. Nix in 1995; and as Special Counsel to the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus from 1988 to 2000; and
WHEREAS, Some of Mr. Bowser’s awards include but are not limited to the Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia’s Austin Norris Leadership Award, the Philadelphia NAACP’s Exceptional Civil Rights Award, and the Lincoln University Alumni Community Leadership Award; and
WHEREAS, Our fair City is, no doubt, greatly and knowingly privileged to hold within in its borders the bright and enduring light of this vibrant leader, groundbreaker, public servant, and devotee to justice and empowerment for all of Philadelphia’s people; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize and congratulate Mr. Charles Bowser, Esquire for nearly 50 years of civic and community service to the City of Philadelphia through his outstanding work as an attorney, serving the legal needs of the City’s residents, regardless of their background or status; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Mr. Charles Bowser, Esquire, as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
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