Contact Information:
ndc@cowielawgroup.com
Telephone: (410) 327-3800
Telephone: (302) 830-8315
Telephone: (202) 670-6289
Facsimile: (410) 327-3801
1321 Generals Highway
Suite 302
Crownsville, MD 21032
Biography:
Attorney Nicholas D. Cowie graduated first in his class (day class 1988) at the University of Baltimore School of Law where he served on the Law Review as an editor. Mr. Cowie practices law throughout the State of Maryland and Washington, D.C and has over 29 years of experience representing condominiums, businesses, contractors, community associations, families and individuals in complex litigation and transactional matters.
Attorney Cowie has represented and provided legal advise to international, regional and local businesses in commercial litigation, business disputes and contract negotiation. He has litigated civil RICO claims, breach of contract disputes, unfair trade practices claims and franchise disputes. In addition to serving as general counsel for one of Baltimore’s major intranet designers, Attorney Cowie has also represented many local information technology companies in contractual matters and litigation disputes. Mr. Cowie has handles medical malpractice, product defect and personal injury cases involving traumatic brain injury, loss of use of limb, terminal injury and wrongful death. Mr. Cowie’s appellate work has expanded the rights of firefighters and police officers to recover for injuries they sustain as a result of dangerous conditions on private property in the course their official duties.
Nicholas D. Cowie is also a lawyer known for handling construction defect cases on behalf of building owners and condominium associations and his legal work with the Legislature and the Courts of Maryland has resulted in the establishment of laws that protect the rights of property owners and condominium associations in construction defect claims and developer transition. Mr. Cowie established the “Construction Law” course at the University of Baltimore School of Law where he taught as an adjunct professor of construction law. Mr. Cowie is the instructor for the Community Association Institute seminar course entitled “Successful Strategies for Resolving Construction Defect Disputes with Developers” and is also the author of “Construction Law: Cases and Materials.” Mr. Cowie is highly regarded for his knowledge of construction defect law and regularly testifies in both houses of the Maryland legislature on construction defect issues.
Nicholas D. Cowie served as a trial attorney in achieving the largest reported jury verdict for a condominium Association ever awarded in Maryland against a developer and builder for construction defects in a residential condominium development. Mr. Cowie’s work in that case established much of the law governing construction defect cases in Maryland and has become the model for condominium construction defect cases in Maryland and eslewhere, including in a more recent case where Cowie Law Group, P.C. (f/k/a “Cowie & Mott, P.A.”) obtained a jury verdict reported to be one of the largest jury verdicts for a condominium association ever awarded in Maryland against the national builder for construction defects in a residential condominium.
Nicholas D. Cowie is also known for representing the interests of condominium associations and homeowners associations (“HOAs”). Mr. Cowie and the Cowie Law Group serve as general counsel to condominiums associations and HOAs throughout the state of Maryland and Washington, D.C. who have come to rely upon the firm’s legal representation and legal advice. Mr. Cowie is actively involved in the community association industry and regularly drafts, testifies and participates in efforts before the Maryland legislature to pass legislation that benefits community associations, including laws that have extend condominium and HOA warranty periods for construction defects and laws that govern the transition process by which developers of newly created condominiums and HOAs are required to transfer control of association governance to purchasing homeowners. Mr. Cowie also drafted and promoted legislation passed by the Maryland General assembly which prevents condominium developers from shortening the statute of limitation on construction defect warrant claims that can be asserted by condominium associations in their unit owner members. Mr. Cowie regularly authors articles in CAI publications and on the Cowie Law Group Blog regarding issues unique to community associations.
Practice Areas:
- Condominium and HOA Law
- Construction Law
- Construction Defect Law
- Community Association Law
- Business Litigation
- Business Transactions
- Intellectual Property Rights
- Design Professional (Architects and Engineers) Malpractice
- Medical Malpractice
- Product Liability Law
- Serious Personal Injury and Wrongful Death
- Real Estate Development
Bar Admissions:
- Maryland
- District of Columbia
- United States District Court for the District of Maryland
- United States District and Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Columbia
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- United States Supreme Court
Education:
University of Baltimore School of Law, Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, 1988
- University of Baltimore Law Review, Associate Manuscript Editor
- Heuisler Honor Society
- American Jurisprudence Awards: Real Property; Trusts and Estates; Constitutional Law I; Constitutional Law II; Debtor-Creditor Relations; Commercial Transactions II; Constitutional Criminal Procedure
Western University College of Law, 1983
- Dean’s List
- Foundation Press Award
- National Dean’s List
Grinnell College, Bachelor of Arts, History, 1982
Professional Associations:
- The Maryland State Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar Association
- Baltimore County Bar Association
- Bar Association of Baltimore City
- Community Association Institute (Washington Metro and Chesapeake Region Chapters)
- Delmarva Condominium Managers Association