Downey Brand

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Downey Brand The firm is well-known for its deep industry knowledge in natural resources as well as its breadth of business practices and litigation strength.

From offices in Sacramento, San Francisco, Stockton, and Reno, Downey Brand is strategically positioned to serve clients in litigation, natural resources, and business matters throughout California, northern Nevada and beyond. Founded over 95 years ago in California’s capital city, Downey Brand has grown into a preeminent full-service law firm, with more than 95 attorneys offering counsel in more than 40 areas of civil practice including water, food and agriculture, corporate, litigation, business planning, intellectual property, bankruptcy, employment, construction, real estate, trusts and estates, and family law. Downey Brand attorneys provide legal services to public corporations, governmental entities, privately held companies, family-owned businesses, non-profit organizations, and individuals in a wide range of industries including agriculture, healthcare, forestry, finance, education, retail, construction, land use, and real estate.

What a day at the Sac Century Challenge! Thank you to the Rotary Club of Sacramento for putting on a fantastic event, an...
10/12/2026

What a day at the Sac Century Challenge! Thank you to the Rotary Club of Sacramento for putting on a fantastic event, and to the volunteers, riders, and supporters who made it happen.

Downey Brand was proud to sponsor and ride in this year’s Challenge, which benefits the Sacramento Children’s Home Crisis Nursery. It was a warm but fun day and a great way to spend a Saturday on the course with our colleagues and community.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by for a sticker. We’re looking forward to next year’s challenge!

A wet winter is not the same as a flooded one, but the latest El Niño forecast suggests California should prepare for bo...
10/12/2026

A wet winter is not the same as a flooded one, but the latest El Niño forecast suggests California should prepare for both.

Downey Brand partner Scott Shapiro unpacks the numbers behind the latest seasonal forecast and what storm spacing, snow levels, and a very warm coast mean for flood risk. With roughly ten weeks before the heart of the season, flood-control agencies, counties, and floodplain property owners have a valuable window to prepare thoughtfully.

Read the full post: https://bit.ly/4eibkDu

An evening of whimsy, and more than $30,000 raised for Fairytale Town! ✨Congratulations to Downey Brand partner, Alexis ...
09/30/2026

An evening of whimsy, and more than $30,000 raised for Fairytale Town! ✨

Congratulations to Downey Brand partner, Alexis Ortega and the entire Leadership Sacramento Class of 2026 on their successful Evening of Whimsy fundraiser where they raised over $30,000 for their class project built around “accessibility for all.” Proceeds will support an ADA-accessible play structure, enhancements to The Crooked Mile, and expanded access for every family.

Traveling with NAFSMA (National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies) to study flood control in the N...
09/29/2026

Traveling with NAFSMA (National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies) to study flood control in the Netherlands, Downey Brand partner Scott Shapiro expected to see something new. Instead, he found something familiar: the Dutch Noordwaard project looks a lot like California's Yolo Bypass.

In his latest post, Scott compares the Dutch approach of giving rivers room to spread out with the one California adopted more than a century ago. He also looks at a question every flood system eventually faces: when government decides where the water goes, who bears the burden?

Read the full post here: https://bit.ly/3VbcgmH

A wonderful evening celebrating 70 years of Legal Services of Northern California at the California Museum!Congratulatio...
09/29/2026

A wonderful evening celebrating 70 years of Legal Services of Northern California at the California Museum!

Congratulations to LSNC on seven decades of advancing access to justice across Northern California. Downey Brand was honored to celebrate this milestone and our shared history, dating back to Jack Downey’s instrumental role in establishing the Legal Aid Society of Sacramento in 1956.

Here’s to the next 70 years of service and impact!

Governor Newsom's September 21 proclamation of a statewide state of emergency ahead of a potentially historic El Niño ev...
09/25/2026

Governor Newsom's September 21 proclamation of a statewide state of emergency ahead of a potentially historic El Niño event is a rare signal to California's flood-control agencies: move now on the projects you've been deferring.

Downey Brand partner Scott Shapiro takes a closer look at what Newsom's El Niño Proclamation means for flood preparedness, and how state agencies are now directing faster permitting for the vegetation management and channel-clearing work that's been waiting to move.

Read the full post: https://bit.ly/4jivrEU

As data center development accelerates across California, Downey Brand partner Sam Bivins examines the critical water su...
09/25/2026

As data center development accelerates across California, Downey Brand partner Sam Bivins examines the critical water supply and infrastructure issues that developers and public agencies must address early in the project development process.

In 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢: 𝘐𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘥𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, Sam explores how to plan for long-term supply reliability, allocate infrastructure costs and service risk, and establish clear protocols for water-use disclosure and information-sharing — whether under pending legislation like AB 2469 and AB 2619, or simply as sound practice.

Check out the full post here: https://bit.ly/46IicWV

Following his recent presentation at the National Waterways Conference’s 2026 Annual Meeting, Downey Brand partner Scott...
09/02/2026

Following his recent presentation at the National Waterways Conference’s 2026 Annual Meeting, Downey Brand partner Scott Shapiro takes a closer look at 𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘷. 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 and what the decision could mean for the future of river and water management.

While some of the pieces have fallen into place, others are still moving. Scott explores the questions surrounding government liability, private property rights, and the potential implications for how future water resource projects are planned, designed, and operated.

Check out Scott’s full post on : https://bit.ly/4yirLYd

Community matters to Downey Brand, which is why we’re pleased to sponsor Sacramento Region Community Foundation’s third ...
09/02/2026

Community matters to Downey Brand, which is why we’re pleased to sponsor Sacramento Region Community Foundation’s third annual Philanthropy Summit on September 15 at Cal Expo. This year’s summit will bring together people who care deeply about giving back, providing an opportunity to learn, connect, celebrate local generosity, and imagine the future of philanthropy in the Sacramento region.

We look forward to an inspiring day of conversation and connection!

For more information on this year’s Philanthropy Summit, visit the event website here: https://bit.ly/3SWeUMh

A significant win for California’s Central Valley water contractors. A unanimous Ninth Circuit panel has upheld the Bure...
08/27/2026

A significant win for California’s Central Valley water contractors. A unanimous Ninth Circuit panel has upheld the Bureau of Reclamation’s conversion of 67 Central Valley Project water service contracts under the WIIN Act, finding that Reclamation was not required to conduct separate environmental review before completing the conversions. The decision provides greater certainty and long-term reliability for the agricultural, hydropower, and municipal contractors that depend on these agreements.

Downey Brand represented 23 of the contractors throughout the conversion process and joined a broad coalition of water lawyers in defending the conversions, with Meredith Nikkel arguing the case on behalf of the contractors before the Ninth Circuit.

Read the full Legal Alert here: https://bit.ly/4wO6lkt

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621 Capitol Mall Fl 18
Sacramento, CA
95814

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