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By Kellie Speed

We all know how difficult it can be to balance personal and professional lives with just one career. Imagine how much more complicated things would be to juggle careers as both a civil engineer and practicing attorney. Rebecca Bowman, Esq., P.E., has accomplished just that.

Bowman graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1976 with a B.S. in civil engineering and minors in French, German, and math. Upon graduation, she landed a job as an energy efficiency director at Westinghouse Central Residential Heating & Cooling Division, working on international claims for construction disputes. "It's amazing because when I was working at Westinghouse, they thought I was doing a great job but said they thought I'd do even better if I had a law degree, so they sent me for my master's at Oklahoma University and then on to law school at Duquesne University," Bowman recalls.

She studied international finance and received her J.D. with an emphasis on intellectual and real property, paving the way for her future career. "I was laid off by Westinghouse but received a great severance package," she says. "It was great because it gave me the push I needed to go out and start my own practice. I worked for a man at 84 Lumber for a while, managing all his real estate. Within just 14 months, I completed over 200 transactions. It was then that I realized just how well the two degrees worked together." Her work there involved resolving development, environmental, zoning, permitting, and title issues as well as workers' compensation claims and human resources benchmarking services.

Bowman's explains how her civil engineering background proves an asset in her work as an attorney: "As an engineer, I look at deeds that have been incompetently drafted because some attorneys don't know what they're talking about. But as an engineer, I do. I can avoid title disputes because I have a civil engineering degree." She has worked on a variety of projects, including wetlands assessments for the Army Corps of Engineers, Allegheny County Airport Authority, National Park Service, and U.S. Postal Service. Today, much of her engineering work comes with volunteer organizations like Habitat for Humanity.

One of Bowman's most challenging projects was working on the Bay Area Rapid Transit in San Francisco. She was responsible for replacement parts inventory and worked on installation while simultaneously handling claims negotiations. Along with challenges like this, she has also had her share of fun. "When I was working at Westinghouse, I had the most fun when they asked me to redesign the plumbing in a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. It was like playing all day," she jokes.

But Bowman has also encountered unexpected difficulties in her industry. "I have run into some resistance because of my gender, but if I'm working on an engineering project and they learn I'm an attorney and vice versa, I gain instant credibility by having both degrees," she reveals. "It has enabled me to carve out a nice practice niche. I receive an incredible amount of offers to bid now."

Bowman's dual degrees have also afforded her a better understanding of the approval processes required by cities and towns for various projects. "I don't get frustrated like other lawyers and civil engineers because I understand the process and can get it done right the first time," she says. "It has helped reduce my stress level!"

As a civil engineer, for the past 25 years, Bowman has focused on projects in engineering design and forensic analysis and construction and project management. Using her law degree, she has been able to work on several real estate transactions, including employment law and estate planning and administration. From risk management services and compliance reviews to commercial litigation and development restrictions, Bowman seems to have done it all. As a sub-consultant for the Port Authority of Allegheny County, Bowman coordinates utility agreements and full-scale real estate services, focusing on joint development, acquisition definition, divestiture, and condemnations.

Does Bowman prefer one profession over another? "I would have to say civil engineering is much more fun, but my work as an attorney is more rewarding," she states. "For example, if you're in arbitration, and the parties are $2 million apart, by the end of the day they come to an agreement, shake hands, and go out for a beer, that's very rewarding. If I can resolve something without a win-lose situation, everyone's much better off. With dispute resolutions, my engineering background comes into play and the parties involved understand that. It has enabled me to provide fast results and get quick settlements."

If all this isn't enough to keep her busy, Bowman can look to her two sons. "I'm married to a nuclear engineer and my kids have seen a professional mother who makes it all work," she says. "I think they will be better husbands for it when they grow up."

What does Bowman do in her spare time, if she can find any? "I do a lot of educating in schools," she remarks. "One of the first things the kids ask me is how much money I make. I laugh and tell them to get a degree in something they love first and use that for a while. Then I encourage them to get a law degree. It can only help them in the long run, and then they will be able to name their price."

Kellie Speed is a freelance writer in Braintree, Massachusetts.

Progressive Engineer
Editor: Tom Gibson
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©2004 Progressive Engineer