Jon McGowan
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Bio
Jon McGowan studied law as a second career after 16 years in business and government affairs. His experience brings a depth of knowledge on a wide array of issues. He has owned multiple businesses in Jacksonville, Florida including a store-front retail and multiple special events. He has served on various boards with the City of Jacksonville, Florida, US, and has received multiple awards for his volunteer efforts in the community. He currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Jacksonville Housing Authority and Chair of the Duval County Elections Advisory Panel. In 2020, he was selected as a Fellow at the European Law Institute in Vienna, Austria, where he serves on the Administrative Law SIG and the Environmental Law SIG. His areas of focus are local government law, international administrative law, and environmental law.
Education
Florida State University College of Law, Juris Doctor, May 2021
University of Iowa College of Law, London Law Program, January 2020
Oxford University, FSU Summer Program in Law, Summer 2019
University of Florida, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, December 2006
Florida Community College of Jacksonville, Associate of Arts, December 2002
Affiliations
European Law Institute
The Federalist Society
The First District Appellate American Inn of Court
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
Tallahassee Bar Association
Public Service
Jacksonville Housing Authority, 2019 - Present
Vice-Chair 2019 - Present
Duval County Elections Advisory Panel, 2017- Present
Vice-Chair 2018-2019, Chair 2019 - Present
Duval County Taxation, Revenue, Utilization and Expenditures Commission 2018 -2019
Government Advocacy
Jon has played an active role in local and state government for over 15 years. His counsel is frequently sought by elected and appointed officials on a variety of issues including land use and zoning, environmental regulations, firearms and Second Amendment issues, and general matters of public concern. His input has frequently altered the course of a debate and final actions.
International Affairs
Jon studied international relations while pursuing his degree from the University of Florida. While studying at Florida State University College of Law, he was presented the opportunity to study European and English law at the University of Oxford, Saint Edmund (Teddy) Hall in a joint program with FSU. He also studied international corporate governance in London, UK, with the University of Iowa College of Law under retired Delaware Supreme Court Justice Randy Holland.
In 2020, Jon was selected as a Fellow at the European Law Institute (ELI) in Vienna, Austria. He is one of 1,500 legal scholars in the world, one of only 13 Americans, to participate in the drafting of Model Rules, Proposals, and studies. ELI "aims to improve the quality of European law. It seeks to initiate, conduct and facilitate research, to make recommendations, and to provide practical guidance in the field of European legal development and the development of European law" by the European Union and the Council of Europe.
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Legal Studies
Jon McGowan studied law as a second career after 16 years in business and government affairs. Attending Florida State University College of Law on a 90% Garnet & Gold Scholarship, Jon is pursuing a certificate in Environmental Law and Policy. In addition to his professional obligations, Jon is also an active member of the First District Appellate American Inn of Courts, the Federalist Society, the Environmental Law Society, and the Tallahassee Bar Association. He has received his Character and Fitness Clearance from the Florida Board of Bar Examiners and will sit for the bar exam in summer 2021.
Public Service
Jon had the honor of serving on the transition team for then Mayor-elect Lenny Curry. Jon served on the Streamlining for Growth and Opportunity Committee which was tasked with examining business and environmental regulations in the City of Jacksonville, FL. During that time, he developed a reputation for diligence and dedication to serving as needed. In 2017, Jon was appointed by Mayor Curry to the Duval County Elections Advisory Panel, which he chaired from 2019-2020.
In 2018, Jon was appointed by the Jacksonville City Council President to the Duval County Taxation, Revenue, Utilization and Expenditures (TRUE) Commission. He was subsequently reappointed by the next Council President, Aaron Bowman. He resigned that position in August 2019 to accept a Mayoral appointment to the Board of Commissioners of the Jacksonville Housing Authority. He was elected Vice-Chair in November 2019 and currently Chairs the Governance Committee, tasked with rewriting the policies and by-laws of the agency.
Community Involvement
In 2013, Jon founded Better Jacksonville Beach, a non-profit dedicated to revitalizing the Jacksonville Beach Downtown. He founded and runs both the Jax Beach Art Walk and the Jax Beach Classic Car Cruise. Through Better Jax Beach, he has organized over 160 "community building events" designed to bring the families back to the area. All events operate at no cost to the participants, city, or tax-payers. He has received multiple awards for his volunteer efforts including the 2016 Jacksonville Beach Wave Maker Award for Outstanding Community Service presented by Jacksonville Beach Mayor Charlie Latham, a finalist for the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville 2019 Community Impact Award, and Folio Weekly's Best Community Activist in 2019 and 2020.