I participate in various sports activities for physical activity, camaraderie, and personal growth:
- Skiing
- Running
- Biking
- Yoga
Robyn Katzman Bowman
Harrisburg,PA
Summary
Legal professional with expertise in environmental law, regulatory compliance, litigation and transactional work. Strong focus on post-mining water treatment liability and establishing financial guarantees for treatment. Known for exceptional analytical, problem solving, and communication skills. Utilizes negotiation skills to resolve legal disputes effectively using knowledge of regulatory frameworks and analytical problem-solving to support legal decision-making.
Overview
42
42
years of professional experience
Work History
Assistant Counsel to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Governor’s Office of General Counsel
10.2012 - Current
- Provide advice to Executive Staff on a wide variety of legal issues, including compliance with environmental laws and regulations, land acquisition, and oil and gas leasing
- Counsel the Bureau of State Parks and Bureau of Forestry on real estate related matters; review and interpret applicable statutes, regulations and policies relating to Commonwealth ownership of real property, including land acquisitions, mining and reclamation, easements, oil and gas leases, boundary disputes, and various remediation projects
- Provide legal advice to the Minerals Division, the Ecological Services Section, and the Rails-to-Trails and ATV/Snowmobile programs
- Review and comment on proposed legislation impacting the agency; represent DCNR in litigation related to actions before state and federal agencies, including DEP and PUC; coordinate and respond to Right-To-Know Law requests
Assistant Counsel to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Governor’s Office of General Counsel
01.2006 - 01.2012
- Counsel to Active and Abandoned Mine Operations in the Pottsville, Moshannon, and Cambria District Mining Offices (which encompass 48 counties); provided regulatory guidance to program staff on a variety of compliance and enforcement matters, including coal and non-coal surface mining, deep mining, blasting and post-mining treatment trust issues
- Represented the Department in civil litigation before the Environmental Hearing Board and in state and federal courts at the trial and appellate levels, including complex administrative and bankruptcy matters
Assistant Counsel
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
01.2004 - 01.2006
- Counsel to the Commission and individual Bureaus on water and sewage facilities issues; initiated in-house prosecutions before the Commission and enforcement proceedings in Commonwealth Court against public utilities
- Represented the Commission in challenges to its decisions before state and federal tribunals
Associate
Mette, Evans & Woodside
01.1991 - 01.2000
- Member of the Environmental, Public Utility, Real Estate and Land Use Practice Group; provided compliance counseling to business and industrial clients on environmental, real estate, and land use development matters
- Handled environmental aspects of real estate transactions and property development, including site remediation, lender liability, land use planning, and zoning
- Represented clients in complex environmental and land use litigation before EPA and DEP, local agencies, and in state and federal courts at the trial and appellate levels
Associate
Law Offices of Eugene E. Dice
01.1986 - 01.1991
- Associate Attorney in a boutique firm specializing in environmental law; handled all aspects of trial and appellate litigation
- Represented clients before federal, state, and local agencies on matters involving air and water pollution, solid and hazardous waste disposal, state and federal superfund, sewage facilities planning and permitting, air quality, wetlands regulation, storage tanks, surface and deep mining, storm water management, municipal and land use planning, and zoning
Law Clerk
The Honorable William W. Lipsett, Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas
01.1985 - 01.1986
- Law Clerk for Senior Judge assigned the Three Mile Island personal injury litigation cases; conducted extensive legal research and prepared legal memoranda on a variety of issues involving class action toxic tort litigation
- Prepared draft opinions on pre-trial motions for judicial review
Law Clerk and Intern
United States Attorney’s Office, Land and Natural Resources Division, Rhoads & Sinon, Department of Environmental Resources
01.1983 - 01.1985
- Law school clerk and intern positions; assisted in environmental litigation and land condemnation cases
- Drafted civil complaints, consent judgments, pre-trial motions, consent agreements and discovery; prepared memoranda of law and briefs on real estate, environmental, bankruptcy and corporation law issues
Education
J.D. -
Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law
Carlisle, PA06.1985
Visiting Student - Ocean and Coastal Law Program
University of Miami School of Law
Coral Gables, FL01.1985
B.S. - Biology, Marine Science Certificate
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA05.1982
Wallops Island Marine Science Consortium
Wallops Island, VA05.1980
Skills
- Familiar with Federal and State Environmental Laws
- Litigation
- Legal Analysis
- Drafting Legal Documents
- Legal Research
- Negotiation
Publicationsandspeakingactivities
- A Practical Guide to FOIA and Right-to-Know Requests, Pennsylvania Environmental Law and Practice, The Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 1994, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015
- Frequent lecturer on environmental and land use topics for various organizations.
- Speaker for the Office of General Counsel Lunch and Learn Series.
- Panelist at Dickinson Law School and Widener University Law School.
- Author of 'Expert Witnesses in Environmental Litigation in Pennsylvania.'
Barandprofessionalmemberships
- Pennsylvania Bar Association, Member Government Lawyers Committee, Environment and Energy Law Section, Women in the Profession Commission, Council and Board Member Environmental, Mineral and Natural Resources Law Section (1995-2000), Zone 3 Representative House of Delegates (1992-1997), Zone 3 Chair Young Lawyers Division (1991-1993)
- Dauphin County Bar Association, Chair Young Lawyers Division (1991), Chair People’s Law School Harrisburg Area Community College (1991-1992)
- Society of Women Environmental Professionals
Workaddress
400 Market Street – 7th Floor, Harrisburg, PA, 17105
Volunteer Experience
- Director and Instructor, Harrisburg Academy Fourth Grade environmental education camp
- Juror, PBA High School Mock Trial Program
- Board Member Central Dauphin Boys Lacrosse and Soccer Booster Clubs
- Board Member Temple Ohev Sholom Sisterhood
- Board Member The Jewish Home of Greater Harrisburg
- Chair United Jewish Community Women’s Division Business & Professional Group
- Board Member UJC Women of Vision
- Junior League of Harrisburg
- Central Pennsylvania Leukemia Society Celebrity Waiter and Summer Solstice Committees
- Board Member Area M Special Olympics
Baradmissions
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court
- Third Circuit Court of Appeals
- U.S. District Court (MD PA)
Interests
Timeline
Assistant Counsel to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Governor’s Office of General Counsel
10.2012 - Current
Assistant Counsel to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Governor’s Office of General Counsel
01.2006 - 01.2012
Assistant Counsel
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
01.2004 - 01.2006
Associate
Mette, Evans & Woodside
01.1991 - 01.2000
Associate
Law Offices of Eugene E. Dice
01.1986 - 01.1991
Law Clerk
The Honorable William W. Lipsett, Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas
01.1985 - 01.1986
Law Clerk and Intern
United States Attorney’s Office, Land and Natural Resources Division, Rhoads & Sinon, Department of Environmental Resources
01.1983 - 01.1985
Visiting Student - Ocean and Coastal Law Program
University of Miami School of Law
B.S. - Biology, Marine Science Certificate
Pennsylvania State University
Wallops Island Marine Science Consortium
J.D. -
Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law
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