John Bowers KC (born 2 January 1956) is a British barrister and part-time judge who has been Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford since 1 October 2015.^[1]

Born in Grimsby, the son of Alfred Bowers and Irene (née Bolton),^[2] he was educated at Clee Grammar School in Cleethorpes, and then studied law at Lincoln College, Oxford.^[3] He was called to the Bar in 1979, took silk (became a Queen's Counsel) in 1998, became a recorder in 2003, and has been a deputy High Court Judge since 2010.^[3] He is an honorary professor at the University of Hull.^[4]

Bowers is a supporter of Grimsby Town F.C.^[5] He is married to Suzanne Franks and has three children.^[6]

Bowers has written, alone or with others, 14 books on law^[7] including

• Bowers, John (2017). A Practical Approach to Employment Law (9 ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0198766544.
• Honeyball, Simon; Bowers, John (2012). Honeyball & Bowers' Textbook on Employment Law (12 ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199639854.
• Lewis, Jeremy; Bowers, John; Fodder, Martin; Mitchell, Jack (2017). Whistleblowing: Law and Practice (3 ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0198788034.
• Bowers, John; Duggan, Michael; Reade, David (2011). The Law of Industrial Action and Trade Union Recognition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199589623.

Writing in The Law Society Gazette Graham Clayton described The Law of Industrial Action and Trade Union Recognition as "a work of authority and clarity".^[8] Writing in the Industrial Law Journal David Lewis described the first edition of Whistleblowing as "a comprehensive and insightful analysis".^[9]

He has also written Downward Spiral: Collapsing Public Standards and How to Restore Them, which was published in 2024.^[10]