Amelia A. Bower

A member of the firm’s Title Insurance Law Practice Group, Amelia A. Bower focuses her practice in the areas of title insurance litigation, underwriting and claims analysis, bank-related litigation, bankruptcy litigation, construction related litigation and appeals. Many of her appellate cases have resulted in published decisions.

Before joining Plunkett Cooney, Ms. Bower practiced in Cleveland, Ohio. Ms. Bower has served the title insurance industry in many capacities, including as general counsel for an agency and as underwriting counsel. Prior to being licensed to practice law, Ms. Bower worked as a title officer, escrow officer and title examiner in the Cleveland area.

Ms. Bower has served as an expert witness in real estate and ethics matters.

Ms. Bower is a co-editor for Baldwin’s Ohio Real Estate Law, including chapters on Conveyancing, Dower and Oil and Gas leases.

Ms. Bower currently chairs the Ohio State Bar Association Committee on Legal Ethics and Professionalism and is a past Chair of the Cleveland Bar Association Certified Grievance Committee.

Representative Client Work

• Litigation involving Ohio’s Transfer on Death Deed Statute as to the question of recording post-mortem
• Litigation involving vested and inchoate dower in various courts within the state
• Litigation in the northern and southern district bankruptcy courts in Ohio as to the execution of mortgages, necessity of witnesses, validity of acknowledgments and legal description questions and the defenses of Lis Pendens and earmarking. Lead counsel for Simon v. Chase Manhattan Bank (In re Zaptocky), 232 B.R. 76 and Trenish v. NorWest Bank Minnesota N.A. (In re Periandri), 266 B. R. 651.
• Represented title agents and companies on the question of negligence of escrow and closing agents and title examiners
• Represented title companies in coverage matters relating to title insurance policies
• Represented title companies in defalcations of title agents
• Testified as an expert in real estate and ethics matters

Professional Affiliations

• Ohio State Bar Association (chair, Legal Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee)
• Columbus Bar Association (member, Real Property Section)
• Cleveland Bar Association (member and officer, Certified Grievance Committee; member, Joint Bar Admissions Committee and Appeals Subcommittee)
• Ohio Land Title Association
• American Bar Association
• American Land Title Association
• United States Supreme Court

Publications & Lectures

• Real Property Law - Conveyancing
• Avoiding Ethical Disputes
• Impact of Bankruptcy on Real Estate and Title Insurance
• Baldwin’s Ohio Real Estate Law, Contributing Writer (2003)
• Advanced Principals of Title Insurance Law
• Mastering Real Estate Title and Title Insurance in Ohio
• Advanced Title Insurance Law in Ohio
• Professional Liability Issues for Land Surveyors
• Principles of Title Examining, Deeds and Conveyancing