Roger Downs, Esq.

Roger has some 30 years’ experience as a commercial lawyer, with clients ranging from local, regional and national entities to international institutions. He has been a partner with Kells since 1981 and partner in charge of the Commercial Team since 1990. 

Roger holds a deep passion for the law and its exercise to the highest possible standard. He is committed to progressing the law as a profession in a number of capacities: 
• A member of the NSW Law Society Business Law Committee. The committee is appointed by the Law Society as a peer group comprising solid recognised expertise and experience, and is engaged in monitoring legislation and case law in the business law area as well as making substantial submissions to State and Federal government in relation to legislation and other matters falling within the area of responsibility of the committee. 

• The NSW Law Society representative on the Law Council of Australia Consumer Law Committee. The Law Council of Australia is the peak industry body representing legal practitioners across Australia with all State and Territory Law Societies being members of it as well as individual practitioner members. It is the legal industry peak body in terms of submissions to the Federal government on legislation and legal related matters. 

• The Law Council of Australia representative on the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) Small Business Advisory Group. A peak industry body roundtable meeting with the head of the ACCC is held two or three times per year with all leading industry bodies represented in direct discussions with the Chairman of the SCCC (Graeme Samuel) and senior management and policy makers of the ACCC. 

• As the partner in charge of Kells’ Commercial Team since 1990, Roger has supervised and mentored lawyers in that team as the lead lawyer in a broad range of commercial transactions. 

• As a leader in commercial legal affairs, Roger also presents regularly to members of the legal profession via continuing legal education (CLE) seminars, to public companies and government entities. 

As an industry acknowledged expert and educator Roger is sought after and has: 
• acted as an expert as nominee of the President of the NSW Law Society to make an expert determination under a contractual dispute resolution clause; 

• recently provided evidence as an expert witness on Australian commercial law and practice in a commercial arbitration in Denver Colorado USA.

Practicing: Commercial & Business Law