Jeffrey P. Downer

Jeffrey P. Downer is a senior shareholder of Lee Smart, P.S., Inc. He graduated from the University of Washington School of Law in 1982 and was admitted to the Washington State Bar that year. He joined Lee Smart, P.S., Inc., as an intern in 1980 and as a lawyer in 1982. He became a shareholder in the firm in 1987. His practice emphasizes insurance defense litigation, including insurance-coverage matters, product liability, environmental claims and coverage, appellate practice and a broad range of professional liability claims.

Mr. Downer is Costco Wholesale Corporation's national coordinating counsel in defense of claims across North America arising from allegations of E. coli O157:H7 infection and other claims of food-borne illness or food contamination. He also coordinates the firm's insurance coverage and appellate practice. Mr. Downer has served as arbitrator in numerous lawsuits involving personal injuries and commercial disputes.

A cum laude graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in editorial journalism, Mr. Downer is the editor of THE LEE SMART QUARTERLY, a newsletter on litigation and the insurance defense practice of law. In 1994, Mr. Downer received an AV Preeminent rating* from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is its highest rating. He has spoken at Continuing Legal Education seminars regarding claims of food-borne illness, professional liability and many other aspects of defense litigation.

^{*AV Preeminent and BV Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories - legal ability and general ethical standards.}