Tony Downs is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department and chair of the Patent Litigation Practice. He joined Goodwin Procter in 1988 after clerking for Chief Justice William Rehnquist at the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Downs was elected a partner of the firm in 1994. Since 2000, his practice has focused on intellectual property litigation, with specialization in patent matters. He also has experience in antitrust and competition law, securities and other complex commercial litigation. Mr. Downs has represented individuals and entities in a wide variety of commercial disputes and business litigation. In addition, he has extensive trial experience and also regularly uses arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution procedures.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Mr. Downs served as a law clerk to Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist at the U.S. Supreme Court during the 1987-1988 term. Prior to his clerkship at the Supreme Court, Mr. Downs served as a law clerk to Judge James L. Oakes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1986-1987.
BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS
Mr. Downs is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, and is a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the First and Second Circuits, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the Eastern District of Texas, the Northern District of Illinois, and the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He has also been admitted pro hac vice at various locations around the country. Mr. Downs has appeared in civil and criminal trial matters and pre-trial proceedings in Massachusetts, Texas, California, New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Virginia, Tennessee, Washington, D.C., Illinois, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Florida and elsewhere.
RECOGNITION
Mr. Downs is a member of the American, Massachusetts and Boston Bar Associations. He has been listed for several years in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and The Best Lawyers in America.
While attending law school, Mr. Downs served as Executive Editor of the University of Chicago Law Review.