Dr. Hugh Dowell

Biography

Hugh Dowell joined the University of Wisconsin Law School's Legal Analysis, Advocacy, and Writing program in 2025. He brings extensive experience in appellate practice and legal writing, having provided legal support in state courts in Michigan, Ohio, and Alaska. His judicial service includes roles as a research attorney at the Michigan Court of Appeals and a judicial attorney for justices on the Ohio Supreme Court. As an assistant attorney general in Alaska, Professor Dowell handled tax issues related to the oil and fishing industries, supported agency clients in transactional matters, and participated in legislative drafting, as well as defending the state's leasing interests in federal court. He also assisted in civil appeals to the Alaska Supreme Court. Originally from Canada, he earned his undergraduate degree in philosophy from Concordia University College of Alberta and pursued graduate studies in theology in both Canada and the United States, an experience that ignited his passion for using clear language to communicate complex ideas. Inspired by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, he graduated magna cum laude from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and was elected to the Order of the Coif. He now works with law students to develop clarity, precision, and persuasive force in their legal writing.

Courses