Christopher E. Bowler
Chris Bowler, a partner at Gislason & Hunter, is based out of the New Ulm office. He provides both litigation and transactional services to individuals and businesses—primarily those engaged in the fields of finance and banking, agriculture and agribusiness. These services cover a variety of areas of law, including business and corporate law, real estate law and laws governing secured lending.
Bowler regularly guides both emerging and established businesses through lending and financing projects, corporate agreements, mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions and general business litigation matters.
Areas of Expertise
Agriculture Law & Agribusiness
- Ag Financing & Debt Restructuring
- Intellectual Property Rights
- Planning, Zoning & Land Use
Business & Corporate Law
- Business Entity Law & Formation, including LLC’s, Partnerships and Corporations
- Commercial Real Estate
- Contracts
- Creditors' Rights
- Partner & Shareholder Agreements
- Trademarks
- Trade Secrets & Non Competes
Finance & Banking
- Business Planning & Administration
- Collection Actions
- Loan Workouts
- Reorganization & Bankruptcy
Litigation
- Banking Litigation
- Business Torts Litigation
- Ownership Disputes & Dissolutions
- Property Disputes & Land Use
- Real Estate Litigation
- Insurance Defense
Real Estate, Environmental Law & Land Use
- Compliance & Permitting
- Financing
Experience
$13.5 Million Hog Facility Acquisition
In late 2018 and early 2019, Chris Bowler guided an agricultural producer through a transaction in which it acquired four hog facilities. The project involved attention to multiple unique aspects of the transaction, including real estate issues and interests, inventory and equipment purchases and related operational agreements.
Commercial and Agricultural Collection Actions
Chris Bowler has assisted in the collection of secured and unsecured commercial and agricultural debts ranging in value from tens of thousands to millions of dollars. Chris’ collections experience includes pre-litigation case assessments; foreclosures by advertisement; drafting complaints and commencing lawsuits; early motions, such as replevin and foreclosure motions; discovery matters, including written discovery, depositions, and discovery motions; dispositive motions; and post-judgment collection efforts.
$300 Million Loan Refinancing
In early 2017, Chris Bowler assisted in a loan refinancing project that resulted in a $300 million syndicate loan. Chris’ involvement in the refinancing project included drafting multiple promissory notes, perfecting security interests in multiple states, and verifying the enforceability of mortgages and collateral assignments filed on over 50 different parcels of real property.
Contested LLC Non-Judicial Dissolution
In mid-2017, Chris Bowler assisted one of two 50-50 limited liability company owners in the non-judicial dissolution of the LLC. Although the dissolution process was highly contested, Chris was successful in negotiating the terms of the dissolution on behalf of his client without a need to seek judicial intervention. Aside from this particular dispute, Chris also assists various types of business entities (such as corporations, LLCs, and partnerships) in various corporate governance matters.
Trademark Work
Chris Bowler has assisted multiple clients with various trademark matters. Chris’ trademark experience includes advising clients as to the likelihood of trademark registration; drafting trademark applications and other filings; responding to office actions issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office; advising clients regarding trademark infringement disputes; and drafting trademark licensing agreements.
Packers & Stockyards Act Work
Chris Bowler has performed extensive research and other work related to the Packers and Stockyards Act—a federal antitrust statute directed at the livestock industry. Chris’ experience with the Packers and Stockyards Act includes advising clients as to potential risks under the Act and co-authoring a law review article was published in the Mitchell Hamline Law Review. Read Article