Bar Leadership:
Illinois State Bar Association
►Immediate Past President of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) (2005
- 2006)
►Member ISBA Board of Governors (1996-2006). Former Member of the ISBA Assembly.
►Chair (1996-1997) of the ISBA Family Law Section Council.
►Chair (1998) of Special ISBA Committee to launch “Partners” pre-marriage
counseling programs in Illinois high schools.
►Co-Chair (2000) Special Committee on Child Representative Training and Resources
►Lecturer on numerous topics at ISBA and ABA meetings including: “Role of
Attorney for Minor Child”, “Substitution of Judge”, “Legislative Updates”,
Civility and Professionalism”, and “High Conflict Custody Cases”
►In June, 2000, Mr. Downs presented at a workshop of the Association of Family
and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) at the AFCC Annual Meeting in New Orleans. In
August, 2001, he presented and Illinois custody and child representation program
as part of a Presidential Showcase at the American Bar Association Annual
Meeting
Chicago Bar Association
►Chair CBA Matrimonial Law Committee (1997-1998)
►Chair Attorney for the Minor Child Custody Subcommittee (1996-1998)
►Co-Chair of special CBA/Circuit Court Committee to revise training and material
for court appointed Attorneys for Minor Children/Guardian Ad Litem (1996-1998)
►Chair Subcommittee of Legislation Committee to revise “Income Shares” bill in
the Illinois General Assembly
►Member Legislation, Fees & Ethics, and Courts subcommittees
►Member Circuit Court of Cook County Domestic Relations Advisory Committee
►Previous service on Panel of Illinois Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission and
prior CBA Ethics Committee
Professional Leadership:
►American Bar Association: One of four national recipients of the ABA Family Law
Section “Pro Bono” service award given at the Mid-Year Meeting in Washington,
D.C. (April, 1995)
►American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Illinois Chapter - Fellow and Member,
Board of Managers, (1995 to present)
►President, Divorce and Custody Mediation Service
►Serves as Court Appointed Attorney for Child, Guardian Ad Litem, or Child
Representative in Cook County custody/visitation disputes
►Convened special ISBA Task Force on Children which brought about the new
Illinois Child Representative Law, effective January 1, 2000
Professional Memberships:
American Bar Association
Illinois State Bar Association
Chicago Bar Association
West Suburban Bar Association
DuPage
County Bar Association
North Suburban Bar Association
Justinian Society of Lawyers
Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
National Conference of Bar Presidents
Political Leadership:
►Elected State Representative, Illinois House of Representatives, 79th General
Assembly
►As Chair, House Executive and Human Resources Joint Subcommittee was chief
sponsor of the Illinois Detoxification and Alcoholism Treatment Act and sponsored
the first “Anti-Redlining” legislation
►Received the Ethel Parker” and “Best Legislator” awards for the Independent
Voters of Illinois as well as numerous other awards, including emphatic
endorsement from all major Chicago daily newspapers for re-election.
Other:
►Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Wednesday Journal, Inc., publisher of several
independent community newspapers and Chicago Parent Magazine;
►1998 recipient of Grinnell College’s highest Alumni Achievement Award; and
►Finisher, 1992 New York City Marathon (Time 4 hours, 43 minutes) – something
only a runner can appreciate).
