Current Employment Position(s)

Vice PresidentPrincipal, since 2004

Lawyer Overview

Don Downing is a former Missouri Chief Deputy Attorney General and managing partner of the St. Louis office of one the region's largest law firms. He joined Gray, Ritter & Graham as a principal in 2004.

As Chief Deputy Attorney General - Missouri's top appointed legal officer - from 1993 to 1995, Mr. Downing was the lead lawyer in cases involving consumer protection, antitrust, environmental, securities and many other areas of law. He appeared before the Supreme Court of the United States four times, including one case he personally argued. He also argued cases on behalf of the state six times before the Missouri Supreme Court, and tried substantial cases in federal and state court. Mr. Downing was responsible for hiring, training and supervising more than 170 assistant attorneys general.

His private practice has focused on complex commercial and class action litigation. For example, he has represented hundreds of farmers in several states and recovered millions of dollars in cases involving defective cotton seed. He has obtained a multimillion dollar settlement for a class of farmers in a federal court lawsuit against the federal government. His representation of banks and other financial institutions includes obtaining a $1.75 million settlement for a bank against its fidelity bond issuer. Mr. Downing has also represented thousands of consumers in class action litigation against cellular telephone service providers.

A native of Kennett, Missouri, Mr. Downing earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1979, and his law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law in 1982, where he served on the Missouri Law Review. After graduation from law school, Mr. Downing served as law clerk for the Honorable Edward L. Filippine, District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

He is licensed to practice in Missouri and Illinois, as well as before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Eighth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri, and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Mr. Downing is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, and among the "Best Lawyers in St. Louis" in St. Louis Magazine .

Mr. Downing serves on the University of Missouri-Columbia Law School Foundation Board of Trustees and the Law Library Campaign Committee. He is also an active member of the University of Missouri Jefferson Club, serving the last two years as the chairman of its annual St. Louis regional dinner. Mr. Downing also serves on the Board of Directors and is Chair of the Legal Committee for the National Benevolent Association The NBA’s mission is to provide social and health services to meet the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs of people and to that end it operates Emergency Children’s Homes in Missouri, Alabama and California.

Areas of Practice

• Class Actions
• Business Torts/Trade Secrets/Non-Compete Agreements
• Corporate Governance/Director & Officer Suits, Derivative Suits, Internal Au
• Antitrust
• Appellate
• Governmental Relations
• Contingent Fee

West Practice Categories

Agriculture Law, Agribusiness, Agrochemicals, Crops, Antitrust & Trade Regulation, Antitrust Law, Deceptive Trade Practices, Unfair Competition, Banking & Finance Law, Commercial Banks, Business & Commercial Law, Consumer Protection, Contracts, Debtor/Creditor, Franchising, Joint Ventures, Uniform Commercial Code, Warranties, Civil Rights, Race Discrimination, Sex Discrimination, Class Actions -- Plaintiff, Employment Law -- Employer, Insurance Law, Bad Faith, Directors' & Officers' Liability Insurance, Fidelity, Guarantee & Surety, Litigation & Appeals, Class Actions, Complex Litigation, Federal Appellate Practice, Federal Trial Practice, Multidistrict Litigation, State Appellate Practice, State Trial Practice, Tax Litigation, US Supreme Court, Personal Injury -- Plaintiff, Defamation & Privacy -- Plaintiff, Premises Liability -- Plaintiff, Property Damage -- Plaintiff, Products Liability Law, Chemicals & Cosmetics, Food & Agricultural Products, Pharmaceutical Products, Professional Malpractice Law, Other Professionals Malpractice

Bar Admissions

• Missouri, 1982
• Illinois, 1983
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri
• U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois
• U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court

Professional Associations and Memberships

• University of Missouri-Columbia Law School Foundation (Board of Trustees, Law Library Campaign Committee)
• University of Missouri Jefferson Club (Active Member)
• National Benevolent Association (Chair, Board of Directors, Legal Committee)

Honors and Awards

• The Best Lawyers in America
• Best Lawyers in St. Louis, St. Louis Magazine

Past Employment Positions

• Honorable Edward L. Filippine, District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Law Clerk

Education

• University of Missouri Columbia School of Law, Columbia, Missouri, 1982
  J.D.
  
  Law Review: Missouri Law Review
• University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, 1979
  B.S.
  Honors: cum laude
  Major: Economics

Published Works

• Committee Bars Section 1983 Action for Unconstitutional Ad- ministration of State Tax System 47 Missouri Law Review 897, 1982
• Enforcement of Due-On-Sale Clause by Federal Savings & Loan Association 47 Missouri Law Review 366, 1982

Address

701 Market Street
Suite 800
St. Louis, MO 63101-1826

Phones

(800) 451-2950 (Toll Free)
(314) 241-5620

Faxes

(314) 241-4140

Emails

Contact Us

Websites

http://www.grgpc.com