Noted Dallas Attorney Dies at Age 88

James Cowles                                                                                                                                                                        [Courtesy Photo.]

By the age of 14, a young Jim Cowles discovered the desire to become a lawyer. He went on to obtain both his BBA and LLB from the University of Texas in Austin. Later, just two years into his legal career, he had already tried 40 cases — and won all 40. By 2022, Cowles had tried close to 600 cases to a jury verdict.

In 1965, he was one of the first attorneys in Texas to effectively use scientific evidence to demonstrate the flaws in eyewitness testimony. He was a pioneer in the use of demonstrative and scientific exhibits, for example: a toilet paper roll as a cancerous bronchial tube, a paper napkin from lunch for a sketch of an oil pipeline from Texas to California, and an actual airplane wing to demonstrate the difficulty of improperly installing an aileron. Cowles, following the tradition of an early famous Dallas trial lawyer, commonly memorized the names and occupations of each member of the jury panel and called them off during voir dire.

Cowles went on to become one of the founding partners in 1978 to launch the firm Cowles & Thompson, P.C. in Dallas, Texas. He was renowned for his legal savvy, fearless representation of clients, and leadership in the Texas legal community. Cowles mentored many lawyers and trained uncounted associates, many who later became leaders in their own firms.