Downey Brand

Founded in 1926, when Sacramento was a young, burgeoning metropolis, the three-lawyer firm of Downey, Brand & Seymour constituted approximately 3% of the city’s 100 attorneys. The firm’s growth was initially slow—with only five attorneys in 1946. But it continued to grow, expanding to new office locations. Now with nearly 100 attorneys, Downey Brand is Sacramento’s largest law firm.

Notable in Northern California

Downey Brand handles most every type of civil matter, though its practice largely reflects its state capital location in the middle of California’s agricultural heartland. The firm’s particular strengths include business, litigation, and natural resource practices, and its attorneys specialize in 40 subspecialties. Many firm attorneys are licensed in both California and Nevada, and the firm has established additional offices in San Francisco and Stockton. 

Litigating over Land—and Water

Downey Brand boasts a strong General Commercial Litigation practice. Many of the region's leading companies trust their most significant litigation to the firm. Downey Brand’s attorneys have successfully handled a wide variety of complex, high-stakes commercial and business cases, counseling both plaintiffs and defendants in business, construction, employment, eminent domain, environmental, family law, food and agriculture, intellectual property, products liability, land use, trusts & estates, and water rights litigation. The firm also boasts an appellate and writ practice and has a certified appellate specialist: Jay-Allen Eisen has advised on more than 300 appeals and writs in his career, which spans more than 50 years.

The firm also boasts a noteworthy Natural Resources practice, counseling on issues such as air quality, environmental enforcement defense, environmental remediation, land use, and water law. Its Environmental Litigation practice has been recognized nationally and in California by U.S. News—Best Lawyers, and its Water Law practice has been recognized by U.S. News—Best Lawyers Sacramento rankings. The firm’s clients include companies and individuals in aerospace, energy, petroleum, maritime, mining, manufacturing, agribusiness, and other industries. Downey Brand attorneys handle matters involving toxins and pollutants, including site cleanup and remediation, water quality and waste discharge, cost recovery litigation, and defense of environmental enforcement actions. In land-use matters, they counsel clients on entitlements, zoning, the National Environmental Policy Act, and other topics. 

Northern California’s Corporate Counsel

With its headquarters in the state capital, Downey Brand serves as outside general counsel for many of Northern California’s leading companies, including privately held and family-owned companies, nonprofits, and publicly-traded companies. For other national and regional companies, Downey Brand’s corporate and business lawyers serve as special counsel on complex business and real estate transactions. Some of the firm’s recent experience includes advising the sellers of an $85 million cash-and-stock merger transaction, guiding a family-owned winery through reorganization, and obtaining a dismissal for a financial institution in a multimillion dollar breach-of-contract suit.

• Best Places to Work, 2018-2023 – Sacramento Business Journal
• Top 10 Best Midsize Law Firms to Work For, 2023 - Vault