About Gerald Cowden

Gerry Cowden may have a background as an attorney, boasting nearly three decades of experience catering to growing clients. He holds the position of a founding and active partner within the downtown law firm that carries his name. However, his disposition is also rooted in entrepreneurship, both in inclination and action. This inclination is shared with numerous clients who also harbor a notable dissatisfaction with the prevalent methods of legal service delivery from lawyers and law firms, particularly in relation to entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial ventures.

The prevailing flaw in our industry, according to Cowden, lies in the perception that a lawyer is solely a remedy for legal predicaments. Clients tend to reach out only when they perceive a legal issue, prompting their lawyer to counter with a legal-focused solution. Yet, Cowden believes this approach is problematic for clients, as legal solutions are confined to legal rights alone. The true remedies, and the genuine requirements of the client, are anchored in business solutions.

This insight was swiftly gained by Cowden at the commencement of his legal journey. Its reinforcement occurred during a brief departure from law in the early 1980s, during which he invested in real estate and established a tax credits business. This perspective further solidified as a guiding principle during the challenging endeavor of establishing his personal law firm.

The success of that firm soon garnered attention. Upon merging with another legal entity, Cowden swiftly recognized that the conventional approach of the new organization was ill-suited to effectively serve his entrepreneurial clientele. In 1989, alongside two partners, he departed to establish what is now known as Cowden Humphrey—an esteemed law firm coined as “entrepreneurs advising entrepreneurs.”