Chris Bowles is co-chair of Bradley’s Solar Energy team. He is an energy and economic development attorney practicing out of Bradley’s Nashville office. Chris regularly advises clients on the development and financing of energy and infrastructure projects, with an emphasis on renewable energy sources, helping them negotiate contracts and manage risk in each stage of a project’s development, including the real estate, tax and regulatory aspects of development and project finance. His work on utility and commercial scale solar energy projects includes some of the largest solar developments in the eastern United States.

Chris enjoys the truly interdisciplinary nature of his work, and manages a multidisciplinary team of energy, finance, corporate, real estate, tax and construction attorneys to assist clients in all aspects of a project’s development. Throughout his career, Chris has emphasized understanding his client’s business and the policies that help those clients thrive. In his practice and in his capacity as a board member of the Tennessee Solar Energy Industries Association, he has led efforts to reform solar energy siting and tax policy in Tennessee and represented a national solar energy company in a dispute over net metering policy in Kingsport, Tennessee.

Chris is also active in economic development, working with Bradley’s nationally recognized economic development practice team on negotiating and closing incentive transactions for companies looking to relocate or expand in Tennessee and throughout the country. Chris has closed tax abatement and industrial revenue bond transactions supporting more than $600 million in estimated capital investment in manufacturing, renewable energy, distribution, warehouse, call center and office projects. He understands the constitutional and statutory constraints on incentive transactions and regularly advises clients on maximizing incentives and complying with regulatory requirements.

Prior to joining Bradley, Chris served as Nashville’s first-ever Director of Environment and Sustainability for Mayor Karl Dean’s administration. He advised Mayor Dean on a range of environmental issues and oversaw several mayoral initiatives, including the design and successful launch of the mayor’s residential energy efficiency program, Nashville Energy Works, and the creation of Nashville’s first Open Space Master Plan in partnership with the Land Trust for Tennessee.

Bar Admissions

• Tennessee, 2008

Court Admissions

• Tennessee Supreme Court

Education

• Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D., 2008, Bennett Douglas Bell Memorial Award; Chancellor’s Scholar; Editor-in-Chief, Environmental Law and Policy Annual Review; Environmental Law Fellow
• University of Wisconsin, B.A., 2003, Dean's List

Significant Accomplishments
Chris’ practice includes regular representation of solar developers, owners, operators and EPC contractors on matters relating to all stages of project development, including real estate acquisitions, due diligence, permitting and zoning compliance, advice regarding key project documents, including power purchase agreements, interconnection agreements and EPC contracts, state and federal regulatory matters, tax incentives, and project finance. Chris has also been deeply involved in renewable energy policy development, including serving as a board member and the policy committee chair for the Tennessee chapter of the Solar Energy Industries Association.

• Environmental Development and Real Estate Issues in Texas Solar Projects Webinar Recording

  By Christopher Bowles |March 2021