JOHN R. MACDOWELL has been a member of the California State Bar since 1983. He is a shareholder of Fiore Racobs & Powers in the Firm's Orange County and San Diego County offices, and is responsible for the supervision of all litigation for the Orange County and San Diego County offices. Mr. MacDowell pursued his undergraduate studies at Pomona College, where he graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. He obtained his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the University of Chicago, graduating in 1983. He is a member of the Orange County Bar Association, Community Associations Institute (CAI) and California Association of Community Managers (CACM). Mr. MacDowell served on the City of Santa Ana Planning Commission from 1996 to 1998.
Mr. MacDowell successfully briefed and argued the case of Brown v. Professional Community Management, Inc. (2005) 127 Cal.App.4th 532, which held that the Davis-Stirling Act does not limit the fees that a management company may charge for services. He also co-authored a "Friend of the Court" brief on behalf of community associations in the landmark Supreme Court case of Lamden v. La Jolla Shores Clubdominium Association (1999) 21 Cal.4th 249.
Mr. MacDowell is a member of the prestigious College of Community Association Lawyers of CAI (CCAL). He is active in the San Diego Chapter of CAI, currently holding the position as Co-Chair of the Programs Committee. Mr. MacDowell has served as Chair of the CAI California Legislative Action Committee (CLAC), and a delegate to the Committee from the Orange County Chapter of CAI. He has been recognized for his numerous contributions to CAI’s Orange County Chapter, receiving the prestigious May Russell Hall of Fame Award in 2010 and the Ellen Ellish Award in 2009. He has served as President of the Orange County Chapter in 2008. Mr. MacDowell is a frequent presenter at educational programs and seminars at the CAI Legal Forum-California Communities, CAI Orange County Chapter education programs and the CACM Law Seminar. He has written numerous articles on community association law and contributes frequently to the CACM Law Journal and CAI's O.C. View magazine.
