Andy Gowder

Background

About Andy Gowder

Andy is a founder and partner in the law firm, Austen & Gowder, LLC. His 35-year practice is focused on land use, property, land conservation and historic preservation, state and local government law, and benefit and nonprofit corporate formation, governance, and counsel. His practice includes both representing leading environmental and preservation groups in litigation and providing counsel and strategic advice to nonprofit organizations, local governments, and responsible landowners and developers to assist them in doing their good work and achieving their missions. He is an editor and writer of books and articles on topics relating to sustainable development, the greening of local government, the financing of public infrastructure, the ownership of property, the land use entitlement process, heir’s property, and protection of the environment and historic preservation, and he teaches and lectures frequently on those topics. Andy has long been active in the American Bar Association, serving in many leadership roles, including as Chair of the ABA Section of State and Local Government Law, which works to advocate for local government that is just, protects individual freedom, and strengthens the rule of law. He has also been involved in leadership in the Urban Land Institute at the national, regional and local levels, serving for more than ten years on the Executive Committee of the Sustainable Development Council (three years as its Chair), currently as Chair of the Carolinas Rethinking Southern Cities Regional Initiative Council and formerly as Chair of the ULI South Carolina District Council, where he continues to serve on its Governance Committee and its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Through this work, Andy has been able to learn, develop and influence policy and innovation in green and sustainable land use planning and building over the last 20 years. His practice and professional work have led him to achieve the professional designation of CRE (Counselor of Real Estate), an AV-Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest available rating for lawyers in that system, and he has for many years been named Best Lawyer in America in Land Use.