Don M. Downing

Don M. Downing is Vice President of Gray Ritter Graham, in St. Louis, Missouri. Focusing his practice on complex commercial and class action litigation, he has helped to recover millions of dollars for his plaintiff clients through verdicts and settlements in matters including agricultural litigation, business disputes, antitrust claims, and commercial and real estate litigation.

He was appointed national co-lead counsel for thousands of plaintiff farmers and other businesses in multi-district litigation involving contamination of the U.S. rice supply by genetically modified rice. He was lead trial counsel in three bellwether rice trials, and obtained plaintiffs’ verdicts totaling in the millions of dollars. Mr. Downing led a negotiation that resulted in a global settlement for farmers of $750 million. Additional settlement payments to affected businesses have brought total settlement payments to over $1 billion.

Additionally, Mr. Downing has represented thousands of consumers in class action litigation against cellular telephone and internet service providers, drug companies, hospitals, and other entities that engaged in deceptive and unfair trade practices. For example, Mr. Downing recently served as co-lead counsel in a pharmaceutical class action that resulted in a $220 million settlement for Missouri consumers.

A 1979 recipient of a Bachelor of Science in economics cum laude from the University of Missouri, Mr. Downing earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law in 1982, where he was an editor of the Missouri Law Review.

Prior to joining Gray Ritter Graham, Mr. Downing served as managing partner of the St. Louis office of one of the region's largest law firms. He is a former chief deputy attorney general for the Missouri Attorney General's Office.

Admitted to practice before state courts in Missouri and Illinois, Mr. Downing is also admitted to practice before multiple federal district courts in both states as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Mr. Downing has received numerous awards and honors, including the Citation of Merit by the University of Missouri School of Law in 2011.

The holder of an AV-Preeminent* rating from Martindale-Hubbell, he has been listed in Best Lawyers in America each year since 2005 – including being named a Best Lawyers "St. Louis Lawyer of the Year" - and has been named as one of the Law dragon Leading 500 Lawyers in America. Mr. Downing is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  He has a Band 1 rating for Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs in Chambers and Partners.