Andrew Downs

Full Profile

Andrew (Andy) Downs has been representing insurers in complex insurance coverage disputes for more than 40 years. Andy is a go-to advocate for national and international insurance companies in connection with coverage and bad faith claims under first-party property and fidelity policies, and specialized third-party management liability, D&O, and professional liability policies. 

In each case, Andy takes a big-picture approach with the client’s overall business needs at the forefront. As a result, he has been named as one of California’s top insurance lawyers by Chambers USA (2010-2025) – Insurance: Insurer. Clients count on Andy’s timely, accurate, and practical advice and guidance. His strong intuition and ability to see the human dynamics of an issue help him prepare clients for what may happen next and lay out likely scenarios to avoid surprises down the road.

Admissions

• California
• Nevada
• US District Courts for the Central, Eastern, Northern, and Southern Districts of California
• US District Court for the District of Nevada
• US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• US Supreme Court

Education

• J.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 1983
• B.A., The Johns Hopkins University, 1980

Memberships

• Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (2000-2025) 
  • Member, Board of Directors (2012-2015)
  • Annual Meeting Program Chair (2015)
  • Insurance Industry Institute Co-Chair (2011)
• American College of Coverage Counsel (2013-2025)
  • Member, Board of Regents (2018-2024)
• Defense Research Institute
• American Bar Association, Tort, Trial & Insurance Practice Section, Chair Property Insurance Law Committee (2002-2003)

Experience

• Successful representation of marine insurers in connection with sinking of 825-foot dry dock in Guam.
• Representation of market insurers in connection with major property insurance losses (multiple matters).

Presentations

• Panelist, “The Face of Your Case: Presenting the Claim Professional for Deposition,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel Insurance Industry Institute, 2025
• Panelist, “Training Lawyers to Battle the Ultimate Adversary: The Disciplinary Board,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, 2025
• Panelist, “ESG Lands in America,” Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) and Canadian Defence Lawyers, 2024
• Moderator, “Insurance Market Leaders Overview: How AI Adoption & Cyber Risks Are Transforming Insurance Claims,” Insuralex, 2024
• Speaker, “How to Make Insurance Companies Acceptable to Juries,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, 2023
• Speaker, “Property Case Law Developments: Personal Lines,” Property Loss Research Bureau Claims Conference (PLRB), 2022
• Speaker, “Property Insurance Boot Camp,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, 2022
• Panelist, “Business Development in a Post-COVID World,” Masters in Marketing, Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC), 2022
• Panelist, “COVID-19: Challenges for Litigators and Underwriters,” Property Insurance Law Committee, Tort, Trial & Insurance Practice Section, American Bar Association, 2021
• Speaker, “We’re Here to Help: The Influence of Insurance Regulators on Coverage Disputes,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC), 2021
• Panelist, “COVID-19 and the Global (Re)Insurance Industry: Thinking Ahead,” Insuralex Global Insurance Lawyers Group, Annual General Meeting, 2020

Publications

• Co-Executive Editor, “Property Insurance Litigator’s Handbook, Third Edition,” American Bar Association, Tort, Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS), 2022
• Author, “Wildfire Insurance Problems are Economic, not Legal,” The Daily Journal, January 7, 2020