A founder and shareholder of Downs & Stanford, Mr. Downs oversees the firm’s defense of personal injury and wrongful death cases, business litigation, employment law and family law practices. He is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and a Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He offers more than 25 years of experience in areas including the defense of complex tort cases involving catastrophic injuries and death; significant commercial disputes and family law cases involving intricate property and child-related issues. With experience including more than 100 trials to verdict in seven states, he regularly represents businesses and individuals in county, state and federal courts. Mr. Downs is a trained mediator and is also known as an entertaining speaker for clients and bar organizations on various legal topics including ethics. He is credited with a number of published articles in periodicals such as The Insurance Journal, For the Defense, Trial Lawyers’ Forum and Today’s CPA.

Education:

  • Baylor University, J.D., 1982
  • Baylor University, B.A., 1976

Admissions:

  • State of Texas (1982)
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • United States District Court—Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas

Professional Affiliations:

  • College of the State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Texas Association of Defense Counsel
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Co-Chairman, Primerus Defense Institute, Transportation Section, 2009-2010
  • Trucking Industry Defense Association
  • Council on Litigation Management

Certifications and Pro Hac Vice Admissions:

  • AV Rated, Martindale Hubbell
  • Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocacy
  • Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
  • Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
  • Pro HAC Vice Admissions: California, Montana, Kansas, Michigan, Illinois, and Mississippi
  • Super Lawyers 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Publications:

  • Columnist, Insurance Journal , 1996-1998
  • "Unlearning Old Falsehoods About Trial," Insurance Journal , Volume 3, Number 14, September, 1997
  • "A Guide to the Statute of Limitations in Professional Liability Suits," Insurance Journal , Volume 2, Number 7, July, 1996
  • "Declaratory Judgment Actions: Who Pays the Insured's Legal Fees?" For the Defense , Volume 38, Number 2, February, 1996
  • "The Phenomenon of Zinc Whisker Growth and the Rotary Switch," Metal Finishing Magazine , Volume 92, Number 6, August, 1994
  • "Ten Ways a CPA Can be Sued," Today's CPA , November, 1992
  • "The Affirmative Defense of Inability to Pay," Trial Lawyers Forum , June, 1992
  • "Finding the Hidden Party," Trial Lawyers Forum , June 1992