Roberge, William H.

John (Jay) R. Gowell is a Partner with Pannone Lopes Devereaux & West LLC and a member of the fi rm’s Corporate & Business, Nonprofit Organizations and Real Estate & Commercial Lending Teams. He has extensive experience in the areas of corporate law, finance and real estate development in both the private and public sectors, and has represented many private developers, public agencies and corporate clients in development, permitting, construction, leasing and financing transactions and in the purchase and sale of office buildings, shopping centers, assisted living facilities, nursing homes and other real estate assets. 

In addition, Mr. Gowell has experience in mergers and acquisitions and divestitures of companies. He is a listed bond counsel in the Bond Buyer "Red Book", and has served as bond counsel, issuer's counsel and underwriter's counsel in various public bond financing transactions. His comprehensive legal portfolio of work also includes corporate law, commercial lending, and distressed debt and loan workouts.  He also has considerable experience representing companies engaged in various aspects of the marine industry, in the purchase and sale of companies and in syndications, venture capital transactions and securities matters.   Mr. Gowell has also served in leadership roles and as legal counsel for charitable and other not-for-profit organizations.

Mr. Gowell has served as special counsel to the Governor of the State of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Department of Administration, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation. In connection with his public sector work, he provided legal counsel and strategic guidance to high visibility projects such as the Providence Place Mall and the location and construction of an office campus for a major national financial services company in Smithfield, RI. As counsel to private developers, Mr. Gowell has worked on several public development and urban redevelopment projects.

He is an active leader in many community and charitable organizations, and is a past President of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra and Music School and The University Club of Providence. He is a recipient of the 8th Annual John Hazen White, Sr. Leadership Award for his ‘outstanding dedication and support of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra and Music School as well as dedication to the arts and cultural health of Rhode Island.’ Mr. Gowell currently is a member of the Board of Directors of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra and Music School, the Board of Trustees of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and the Brown University Civic Leadership Council. Since 2005, he has chaired the East Greenwich Public Schools Building Committee which successfully implemented a significant, multi-year building program, including construction of a new 108,000 square foot middle school and major improvements to a high school.

Mr. Gowell earned his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1981, where he was a member of the Law Review. He graduated with a B.A. from Trinity College in 1977. He is admitted to practice in state courts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island. Mr. Gowell is a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association and the National Association of Bond Lawyers.