Christopher J. Downey
Mr. Downey was born in Canton, Massachusetts. He attended
Noble and Greenough School in Dedham Massachusetts. He received his undergraduate degree from Duke University
and earned his law degree from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law. While a student
in law school, Mr. Downey was chosen to become one of a select group of students to compete in national events
as a member of the American Trial Lawyer’s Association (ATLA) Mock Trial Team. He obtained his law degree in 1993 and was one of a very limited group of applicants to be
hired before graduation by the Trial Division of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston,
Texas. Mr. Downey served as a trial prosecutor with the District Attorney’s Office until December 1998.
He is licensed throughout the State of Texas as well as in the federal courts of the Southern District of
Texas. Mr. Downey is
Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Specialization.
While
serving as a prosecutor for Harris
County, Mr. Downey held a variety
of positions within the District Attorney’s
Office and acted as lead trial prosecutor
in over 60 jury trials. He was selected
to serve as the Chief Prosecutor in
charge of two misdemeanor courts including
the newly created County Criminal
Court at Law No. 15. During his tenure,
Mr. Downey achieved Assistant Chief
Felony Prosecutor status and was responsible
for prosecuting a wide variety of
crimes including murder and other
first-degree felony crimes.
During
his last year with the District Attorney’s
Office, Mr. Downey was selected to
join the Civil Rights Division where
he focused his efforts on the investigation
and prosecution of law enforcement
personnel accused of civil rights
violations. He was a member of the
Harris County District Attorney’s
Shooting Investigation Team which
was responsible for examining every
officer-related shooting in Harris
County in which a citizen was injured.
As
a prosecutor, Mr. Downey worked closely
with members of numerous police agencies
including the Houston Police Department,
the Harris County Sheriff’s Department,
the Texas Rangers, DEA, FBI, ATF,
the Secret Service, the Internal Affairs
Division and the Department of Justice.
To
date, none of the convictions Mr.
Downey obtained as a prosecutor have
ever
been reversed on appeal.
In
December 1998, Mr. Downey left the
District Attorney’s Office to
establish his own firm. In June 2002,
Mr. Downey founded The Downey Law
Firm at its present location at 2814
Hamilton Street in downtown Houston.
He devotes the majority of his practice
to representing individual citizens
and corporate clients charged with
state and federal crimes. His office
is staffed with additional attorneys
who assist clients on a wide variety
of other matters including, but not
limited to family law, personal injury
law and general litigation.
Mr.
Downey undertakes all criminal cases
with an eye toward obtaining a dismissal
of all charges. He educates all of
his clients as to the nature of the
charges they face and the legal ramifications
of any outcomes that might occur.
Mr. Downey has successfully defended
citizens accused of a wide range of
charges including virtually all forms
of felonies and misdemeanors.
Over
the years, Mr. Downey has developed
a strong working relationship with
judges, prosecutors, members of law
enforcement, and fellow members of
the defense bar. He works hard to
maintain a reputation within the community
as a vigorous advocate for his clients
and an aggressive trial attorney.
Mr.
Downey is a former member of the Texas
District and County Attorney’s
Association. He is a member in good
standing with the
State Bar of Texas’ Criminal
Justice Section as well as the National
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
(NACDL), the Texas
Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association
(TCDLA), and the Harris
County Criminal Lawyer’s Association
(HCCLA).
Additionally, Mr. Downey has appeared
as a legal commentator on criminal
matters for MSNBC,
The
Abrams Report, Court
TV and the Catherine
Crier Show.
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