A legacy built on helping clients
achieve what matters most.

A Century of Service. A Legacy of Trust.
A Future of Possibility.

For a century, Downey Brand has been part of the fabric of Northern California, helping clients navigate change, seize opportunities, and overcome challenges, all while contributing to the strength and vitality of the communities we call home. What began with three remarkable and driven lawyers has grown into a firm known for deep expertise, trusted relationships, and unwavering commitment to service.

Our 100-year milestone is an opportunity to reflect not only on our history, but on the people, partnerships, and shared successes that have defined the journey. For generations, clients have entrusted us with matters that shape their lives, businesses, industries, and communities. From the early days of Sacramento’s growth to the complex legal landscape of today, we have been guided by a simple belief: that exceptional service, delivered with integrity and purpose, creates lasting value.

This anniversary is also a celebration of the communities that have supported us and the many individuals who have helped build our firm over the past century. Their trust, partnership, and dedication are the foundation of our legacy.

As we look ahead, we remain focused on our core values—investing in the next generation of lawyers and leaders, strengthening the relationships that define our work, and continuing our tradition of service to clients and communities throughout Northern California. While much has changed over the past 100 years, our commitment to excellence, integrity, and meaningful service remains constant. We know that this enduring commitment will carry Downey Brand forward for the next century and beyond.

100 Years, 100 Acts: Celebrating a Century

A milestone like this is best measured not only in years, but also in the impact made along the way.

Throughout our centennial year, we are proud to celebrate 100 Years, 100 Acts—a year-long initiative dedicated to honoring the people, partnerships, and communities that have shaped Downey Brand’s first century. Through 100 meaningful acts, we are recognizing the values that have defined our firm for generations: service, leadership, collaboration, gratitude, and a commitment to making a positive difference.

These acts take many forms—from supporting nonprofit organizations and community initiatives to recognizing clients, colleagues, and community leaders whose work strengthens Northern California. Some are large and visible; others are simple expressions of gratitude for the people and partnerships that make our work possible. Together, they reflect our belief that success is measured not only by professional achievement, but also by the contributions we make to the people and places around us.

As we celebrate 100 years, we are mindful that our legacy has been built through service—to our clients, our profession, and our communities. The 100 Years, 100 Acts initiative is both a reflection on that legacy and a commitment to carrying it forward, one meaningful act at a time.

Sacramento Loaves & Fishes has been a steady source of refuge for neighbors experiencing homelessness for more than 40 years. To kick off 100 Years, 100 Acts, attorneys and staff collected 100 blankets—a fitting number for our centennial year—to help provide a little warmth and comfort to those who need it most. A small gesture in keeping with the spirit of the year ahead.

January 2026

Kicking off 100 Years, 100 Acts with a Blanket Drive for Loaves & Fishes

Congratulations to the Leadership Sacramento Class of 2025. This remarkable group of local leaders, including our own Kelly Breen, raised $193K and contributed hundreds of volunteer hours to bring Alchemist CDC’s Oak Park Sol Community Garden to life—a welcoming space designed to support food growth and community connection in Oak Park. As a long-time supporter of Leadership Sacramento, the firm was glad to be there for the ribbon-cutting, including LS alumnus Brad Carroll (pictured with the DB commemorative brick). A great day worth celebrating.

January 15, 2026

Leadership Sacramento Ribbon Cutting at Alchemist CDC’s Oak Park Sol Community Garden

Letters Against Isolation was founded in 2020 by two teenage sisters with a simple idea: a handwritten card can ease loneliness and remind someone they are seen. That volunteer-run nonprofit now reaches tens of thousands of seniors worldwide. In January, several attorneys and staff gathered to write more than 30 cards and letters to seniors in care homes and community programs—a quiet, meaningful way to start the year.

January 22, 2026

A Small Note Can Make a Big Difference

What a night to celebrate. The Sacramento Metro Chamber’s Annual Dinner & Business Awards is always a highlight of the year—and this year, the honorees hit especially close to home. Former partner Stan Van Vleck was named Businessman of the Year, and his wife, Nicole Monta Van Vleck, was honored as Businesswoman of the Year. Stan and Nicole have given so much to this region, and there was no better stage to recognize it. Congratulations to both—and to all of this year’s remarkable honorees who continue to invest their time, talent, and vision in helping the Sacramento region prosper.

January 23, 2026

Celebrating the Leaders Who Shape Our Region

Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance makes an impact by providing emotional, educational, and financial support to children with cancer and their families, while also advancing awareness and research toward a cure. Throughout February, our team collected more than $1,000 in gift cards to help ease some of the day-to-day burdens that come with a childhood cancer diagnosis. Whether used for groceries, gas, meals, or small comforts along the way, these are the kinds of needs that don’t make headlines but matter enormously to families navigating some of their hardest moments.

February 2026

Supporting Families Through Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance

The American River Rotary Club’s 42nd Annual Crab Feed is the kind of Sacramento tradition that reminds you why community matters. Overflowing crab buckets, familiar faces, lively conversation—and all of it in support of youth educational and enrichment programs benefiting Soil Born Farms, Effie Yeaw Nature Center, and Starr King Elementary School. The firm and many of its attorneys are long-time members and supporters of Rotary and were happy to attend and support another great year.

February 7, 2026

Cracking Crab for Local Youth

The Sacramento Tree Foundation works year-round to expand the region’s urban canopy and create healthier, more vibrant neighborhoods. Partner Meredith Nikkel, who serves on the Foundation’s Board of Directors, joined fellow volunteers at one of its many annual tree-planting events—a hands-in-the-dirt reminder that small acts, repeated over time, can have a lasting impact.

February 7, 2026

Giving Back, One Tree at a Time

Every February, attorneys and staff trade briefcases for running shoes for Legal Services of Northern California’s Race for Justice—and this year was no exception. LSNC has been expanding access to justice for low-income and vulnerable communities throughout the region since 1956. The firm’s connection to LSNC runs deep, dating back to the organization’s earliest beginnings, and continues through decades of pro bono support and participation in the Race for Justice, which has become a cherished annual tradition for our firm and many others in the greater Sacramento community.

February 14, 2026

Race for Justice

Big Brothers Big Sisters pairs young people with caring adult mentors, and the relationships they build are at the heart of the program’s impact. Partner Chris Kolkey, who serves on the BBBS Board of Directors, hosted mentors and mentees for a night of Disney on Ice at Golden 1 Center—an evening of connection, laughter, and a little Disney magic that both groups will remember.

February 15, 2006

A “Suite” Night at Disney on Ice with BBBS Mentors and Mentees

Produce sorted, crates stacked, families served. In February, attorneys and staff spent an afternoon at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services helping prepare fresh produce for distribution across the region—the first of several volunteer days the firm has planned this year. This year marks the Food Bank’s 50th anniversary, a milestone that reflects five decades of showing up for Sacramento families. It’s an honor to be a small part of it.

February 19, 2026

Volunteering of "Sorts" at the Sacramento Food Bank

Managing Partner Jan Fleener participated in the Sacramento Business Journal's Mentoring Monday at Aggie Square, joining women leaders from across the region for a morning of speed mentoring and connection. One of 25 mentors, Jan spent the morning connecting with participants, sharing her experiences, and offering practical insights to help women at every stage of their careers. It was a morning well spent supporting women in business and strengthening connections among Sacramento’s current and emerging leaders.

February 23, 2026

Mentoring Monday with the Sacramento Business Journal

$330,000. That’s what the room raised at this year’s Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance Annual Gala—the most in the event’s history. The evening brought together an extraordinary community of supporters, all committed to the same thing: helping kids and families facing pediatric cancer. The firm was glad to be among them, including partner Alexis Ortega, who serves on Keaton’s Board of Directors. It was a night worth remembering.

February 28, 2026

A Special Night with Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance

Love Talk Read puts books directly into the hands of at-risk children and families to keep at home, building the early literacy skills that set kids up for a lifetime of learning. Throughout March, in celebration of National Reading Month, attorneys and staff collected more than 150 new and gently used children’s books to donate to the organization. From picture books to early readers, it was a simple way for our team to help support early literacy and encourage a love for reading.

March 2026

Celebrating National Reading Month with Our Annual Book Drive

Downey Brand was thrilled to sponsor the first-ever Reading With Your Reporter, a community program from CBS News and Good Day Sacramento that brought the joy of reading into local classrooms throughout March. Our attorneys joined Story Hour events in Sacramento and Stockton, reading with students and sharing how reading has shaped their personal and professional journeys. To help encourage continued learning beyond the classroom, Downey Brand also provided books for students to take home and enjoy.

March 2026

Reading With Your Reporter

The Donut Dash in Land Park, now in its 18th year, is exactly what it sounds like: a 4-mile run/walk with a mid-course stop at Marie’s Donuts. More than 2,200 participants turned out this year, fueling up on 165 dozen donuts and 700 dozen donut holes and raising $120,000 in support of Child Life Programs at Sutter Children’s Center and UC Davis Children’s Hospital. It was a fun, community-filled morning for a great cause—and a fittingly sweet way to keep our centennial celebration moving.

March 7, 2026

Donut Dash: Running and Donuts For a Good Cause

Fast-paced. Competitive. All in service of getting students excited about financial literacy. Junior Achievement of Sacramento’s Stock Market Challenge gives high school students the chance to put classroom lessons into action through a live stock market simulation. The hands-on experience introduces students to investing and decision-making in a fast-paced market environment, bringing financial literacy and career readiness concepts to life. The firm’s corporate group has sponsored the event for years, and the enthusiasm hasn’t faded.

March 19, 2026

Game On: Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge

Five years in a row. Attorneys and staff turned out again for Habitat for Humanity's annual Women Build event in Citrus Heights. Hard hats on, our team spent the day landscaping and preparing homes for local families alongside dozens of women from across the region. Each year throughout the month of March, Women Build brings together people from every industry and background to do work that matters. Showing up has become a tradition, and this year was no different.

March 21, 2026

Together We Build!

Nearly $500,000 raised. That was the result of United Way California Capital Region’s United in Purpose Gala, an evening that brought together community leaders, partners, and supporters to celebrate the programs helping strengthen local families and students across the Capital Region. The firm was pleased to be among this year’s sponsors and support an organization with which we share a longstanding connection, including through partner Tyson Hubbard’s service on United Way’s Board of Directors.

March 28, 2026

United in Purpose Gala

Downey Brand attorneys and staff were excited to take part in this year’s Sacramento SPCA Doggy Dash, joining their four-legged companions for a fun morning in support of a great cause. The annual event, a favorite in Sacramento, raised more than $206,000 for the Sacramento SPCA, helping provide life-saving care to animals in need. From wagging tails to team spirit, it was a great way to support an organization making a real difference for animals in our community.

April 18, 2026

Tails on the Trail at the Sacramento SPCA Doggy Dash

Partners Scott Shapiro and Andrew Skanchy traveled to Washington, D.C., as part of the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s annual Cap-to-Cap program, joining more than 400 business and community leaders from across the Sacramento region. The week began with the firm’s annual Cap-to-Cap brunch, this year at China Chilcano, where Scott and Andrew welcomed clients, colleagues, and friends of the firm for an opportunity to reconnect, meet new faces, and kick off a busy week of conversations and continued advocacy on the issues that matter most to our region.

April 19, 2026

Good Times at Downey Brand’s Annual Cap-to-Cap Brunch in D.C.

Another evening well spent at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. This visit had a satisfying rhythm to it: bulk macaroni measured, weighed, bagged, sealed, and labeled into one-pound portions. By the end of the night, our team packed 23 boxes, each with 24 one-pound bags for a total of 552 pounds of macaroni heading to families across the region. One of several volunteer days this year in honor of the Food Bank's 50th anniversary.

April 30, 2026

Take Two at the Sacramento Food Bank

To close out National Earth Month, the Sacramento Tree Foundation gathered its community to honor the volunteers, organizations, and partners dedicated to growing and protecting the region’s urban forest. The firm has supported the Tree Foundation for years—through board service, tree plantings, and events like this one. Celebrating this year’s Tree Heroes was a highlight of the month.

April 30, 2026

Celebrating Our Tree Heroes

The Sacramento SPCA cares for thousands of animals each year, and shelter animals benefit from enrichment just as much as the basics. In celebration of National Pet Month, attorneys and staff donated new pet toys and treats throughout May to support local shelter animals. A simple, cheerful way to give back to an organization doing important work for animals in our community.

May 2026

Toys & Treats for the Sacramento SPCA

The Sacramento region showed up for May is Bike Month, trading four wheels for two. This year more than 1,400 riders answered the call, logging an impressive 199,621 miles—enough pedaling to circle the Earth about eight times. With a strong cycling culture at Downey Brand, supporting this community tradition is a natural fit. The firm has sponsored the event and fielded a team for several years and was happy to keep the momentum rolling during its centennial year. Here’s to everyone who pedaled a little more and drove a little less.

May 2026

Downey Brand Rides for May is Bike Month

Public media matters, and PBS KVIE’s 15th Annual Golf Classic is one of the ways the community shows its support. More than 120 business and community leaders joined on the course, and together they raised more than $70,000 to further KVIE’s mission of educating, enriching, and inspiring audiences across the region. The firm was glad to participate as an Eagle Sponsor. Partner Brad Carroll serves on the PBS KVIE Board of Directors, continuing a longstanding tradition of Downey Brand leadership and service to the station.

May 4, 2026

Driving Support of Public Media

25 years of supporting agricultural education, beginning farmers, and greater access to fresh, local food. The Center for Land-Based Learning is marking a milestone anniversary this year, and this year’s Big Day of Giving was a meaningful way to celebrate it. Partner Becky Smith, who serves on CLBL’s Board of Directors, helped champion the effort as the firm contributed $2,500 in matching funds. The community responded: more than $60,000 raised in a single day.

May 7, 2026

Big Day of Giving: Supporting Agriculture and Education

Meals on Wheels Yolo County delivers more than food—nutritious meals, wellness checks, and meaningful social connection that allow older adults to age safely and with dignity in the homes they love. During this year’s Big Day of Giving, the firm matched up to $1,000 in donations to support the organization’s “Yolo Seniors Can EAT (Eat, Age, Thrive)” initiative. Partner Austin Cho serves on Meals on Wheels Yolo County’s Board of Directors and is grateful for the community’s generosity in response.

May 7, 2026

Big Day of Giving: Supporting Seniors and Wellness

Congratulations to the Greater Sacramento Economic Council and this year’s award recipients. GSEC’s 10th Annual Celebration filled the Crocker Art Museum with more than 400 elected officials, local CEOs, and community leaders who care about where this region is headed. The honorees represent a wide range of work, from business growth to early childhood education, and all of it contributes to a stronger regional economy. GSEC has been a client of the firm for years, so it was especially nice to celebrate with their team and see so many of the region’s leaders in one room.

May 8, 2026

Celebrating Economic Leadership in Greater Sacramento

Habitat for Humanity’s annual Rock the Block event transforms neighborhoods through community-powered revitalization, including cleanup, landscaping, beautification, and more. For this year’s Oak Park event, our Downey Brand crew pitched in on day two, painting the exterior of a home and transforming its front yard with a new patio, fresh landscaping, and sprinklers. From 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM, it was a full and rewarding day—exactly the kind of work that makes a neighborhood feel cared for.

May 9, 2026

Rocking the Block at Habitat for Humanity

The Sacramento County Bar Association’s annual Bench Bar Reception brings together members of the bench and bar for an evening of connection, conversation, and recognition of the important work being done throughout Sacramento’s legal community. Downey Brand was pleased to sponsor and attend this year’s reception, which honored Justice Elena J. Duarte as the 2026 Judge of the Year in recognition of her service and contributions to the administration of justice. Congratulations to Justice Duarte on this well-deserved honor.

May 14, 2026

Where the Bench and Bar Come Together

The Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services turned 50 this year, and its anniversary celebration at Good Neighbor felt like a true neighborhood party. With food and drinks from Urban Roots Brewing and its affiliated restaurants, and a room full of people committed to their neighbors facing hunger, it was a well-deserved tribute to an organization that has been feeding families and strengthening this community since 1976. Several attorneys and staff were glad to be in the room.

May 14, 2026

Fifty Years of Showing Up for Sacramento

$557,750 raised for women’s heart health. The 2026 Sacramento Go Red for Women Bruncheon, hosted by the American Heart Association, brought together community leaders, advocates, and supporters committed to advancing research, education, and access to care—and the result was extraordinary. The firm was honored to attend and sponsor the event. Partner Kristin Capritto served on the 2026 Executive Leadership Team, helping drive the effort that made this outcome possible.

May 15, 2026

Supporting Women's Heart Health at Go Red for Women

Big Brothers Big Sisters Sacramento launched its inaugural Golf for Kids’ Sake tournament at Del Paso Country Club this year—and it was a tremendous debut. More than $100,000 was raised in support of BBBS’s mission to connect young people with caring adult mentors. The firm was glad to sponsor the event. Partner Chris Kolkey, who serves on the BBBS Board of Directors, also served on the event planning committee that helped make it happen. From the first tee to the final putt, it was a terrific day on the green with friends and colleagues committed to investing in the next generation of our youth.

May 18, 2026

Inaugural Golf For Kids’ Sake Tournament was a Hole in One

About 250 friends, colleagues, and community members gathered at Berryessa Brewing for Lucas Frerichs’ annual Party with a Purpose, raising more than $56,000 for the Children’s Program at Empower Yolo. Empower Yolo runs Yolo County’s only 24/7 crisis line and supports survivors of domestic violence and abuse. Half of last year’s shelter residents were children, which is why this program matters. The firm was glad to sponsor and attend what has become a cherished community tradition benefiting local causes.

May 27, 2026

A Party with Purpose in Yolo County

Ready for Robla brings together schools, churches, organizations, and volunteers each year to help Robla School District students and families head into the new school year feeling prepared and supported. As part of this year’s effort, Downey Brand collected clothing, shoes, and essentials for students in grades TK–6, along with 100 pairs of new socks. The firm’s team also volunteered with Adventure Christian Church to sort and organize donations ahead of the August 1st distribution event—the first step in what became a summer-long effort for local kids.

June 2026

Getting Ready for Robla with a June Collection Drive

140 backpacks collected and school supplies to match! Downey Brand attorneys and staff across the firm came together in July to support Backpack Giveback, filling collection bins in the Sacramento and Stockton offices, with the firm matching each donated backpack with a set of school supplies. The annual campaign, organized by United Way California Capital Region, CBS Sacramento, and Good Day Sacramento, helps local students start the school year prepared and ready to learn. Cody Stark of Good Day Sacramento's Cody's Caravan even stopped by our Sacramento office to help spread the word.

July 2026

Backpack Giveback

Front Street Animal Shelter’s Doggie Day Out program gives shelter dogs a chance to enjoy time away from the shelter while receiving exercise and enrichment. Inspired after the firm’s toy and treat drive for SSPCA, Sarah Galloway decided to give a local shelter dog a special day of her own. Sarah was paired with Becky, a one-year-old pit bull mix, for an adventure around Sacramento. The pair enjoyed a pup cup, playtime, park cuddles, and lunch together. It was a meaningful way to give a deserving pup some extra love and fun. The first of many Doggie Days to come!

July 3, 2026

A Doggie Day Out with Becky

Partner Becky Smith, who serves on the Center for Land-Based Learning’s Board of Directors, and counsel Brian Hamilton attended CLBL’s Dinner on the Farm, a family-style supper prepared by local chef Juan Barajas of Savory Cafe. Sponsorship and ticket sales support CLBL’s Community Food Program, which brings fresh nutrient-dense food to Yolo and Sacramento neighborhoods with limited access and creates markets for beginning farmers. The setting fits the mission: CLBL’s farm is one of only eight Slow Food Farms in the United States, and it doubles as a classroom for future farmers.

July 17, 2026

Dinner on the Farm with Center for Land-Based Learning

More than 150 Robla School District families “shopped” for clothing at Ready for Robla’s distribution event, with Downey Brand volunteers among those lending a hand. Children also left with new shoes, backpacks, and other essentials provided by participating community organizations. For the donations collected and sorted over the summer, it was the final stop, and for the families, it meant heading into the new school year with a little more confidence and a lot more gear.

August 1, 2026

Ready for Robla: Volunteers Help Families Shop for the New School Year

Backpacks don’t sort themselves. Several Downey Brand staff members rolled up their sleeves at United Way’s headquarters, sorting and organizing backpacks and school supplies ahead of the August 11 distribution event. It isn’t glamorous work, but the big day depends on it.

August 5, 2026

Behind the Scenes of Backpack Giveback

Downey Brand attorneys and staff came together to collect more than 140 backpacks for local students, with the firm matching each donated backpack with a set of school supplies. The effort culminated in a community distribution event at Main Avenue Elementary School in the Robla School District, where the firm’s volunteers joined United Way, CBS Sacramento, and other community supporters to help put more than 2,000 backpacks and school supplies into the hands of local students and families.

August 11, 2026

2000 Backpacks, One Community

August 18, 2026

The Floodplain Management Association’s annual conference brings together water resource and floodplain management professionals from across the country — and each year, the community service project it anchors leaves something behind in the host city. Downey Brand has been a longtime supporter of FMA’s conference service effort, and this year the beneficiary is Grades of Green, an organization that empowers students and schools to take action for the environment. A fitting cause for a conference dedicated to the health of our watersheds and communities.

September 8, 2026