Karen Ibach Bowden

Karen Ibach Bowden is a seasoned transactional lawyer who advises companies, entrepreneurs, churches, and nonprofit organizations on a broad range of business and legal matters. Her practice includes corporate governance, employment matters, contract negotiation, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, real estate transactions, and risk management. Karen serves as outside general counsel to a diverse client base, providing practical, business-oriented guidance on day-to-day operations, compliance, and strategic matters. She regularly represents founders and emerging companies in entity formation, capital raises, and transactional matters across industries including healthcare, construction, telecommunications, food and beverage, and e-commerce. She also advises clients on business acquisitions and dispositions, as well as the resolution of ownership and partnership disputes.

Prior to joining SGR, Karen was a shareholder at a regional law firm, served as senior counsel at a Jacksonville-based litigation firm, and worked as associate general counsel for a national non-profit health care organization. This diverse background informs her comprehensive, solution-oriented approach to client service.

A Jacksonville native, Karen is deeply committed to her community. She currently serves on the board of Rethreaded, Inc. and is a former board chair. Rethreaded is a faith based nonprofit organization that helps human trafficking survivors restore their lives through a holistic program that includes long-term employment, trauma-informed support services and counseling, career development, and community. In her free time, Karen enjoys traveling, walking on the beach, reading, and spending time with her husband, family, and friends.

Karen's Practice

Representative Matters

• Counseled startups and founders on entity formation, capital raising, and investment transactions across a variety of industries, including healthcare, telecommunications, construction, manufacturing, food and beverage, and e-commerce.
• Represented buyers and sellers in the acquisition and sale of businesses, including dental and physician practices, medical supply companies, restaurants, and industrial equipment supplier and service providers.
• Served as outside general counsel to companies across multiple industries, providing ongoing advice on business operations, contract negotiation, compliance, and strategic matters.
• Negotiated and resolved ownership and partnership disputes, employment matters, restrictive covenants, and executive compensation and severance agreements.
• Represented clients in office, retail, and warehousing leasing transactions as well as acquisitions and dispositions of commercial real estate.