Distinguished Trial Attorney Kevin Rooney Joins Downey Brand as Counsel
August 25, 2021
Downey Brand is pleased to announce that distinguished criminal prosecutor and recent San Joaquin County Chief Deputy District Attorney Kevin Rooney has joined the firm’s Stockton office as of August 2021.
In his decade plus of legal work as an attorney in both New York and California, Kevin has garnered an abundance of trial experience working for district attorneys’ offices in both states. Kevin began working as an Assistant District Attorney for New York County’s District Attorney’s Office in 2010, where he handled hundreds of misdemeanor and felony cases at every stage of the judicial process, from intake through sentencing. He eventually moved back to the west coast, where he was born and raised, to work for the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office as a Deputy District Attorney in 2013.
“After my time in New York, I wanted to return home and serve the community where I grew up,” said Kevin. “It’s been an honor and privilege to work with and for the people of San Joaquin County to do what we could to make the community a safer and healthier place to live.”
During his time with the district attorney’s office, Kevin prosecuted serious and often complex felony matters, including cases related to pattern robberies, special circumstance murders, and multi-defendant gang cases. In 2017, he led a multi-agency wiretap investigation targeting one of Stockton’s most violent gangs, ultimately leading to the successful prosecutions of a 2017 gang shooting, a 2013 homicide, and a drug trafficking operation transporting heroin between Stockton and Reno. Following a 2018 promotion to Supervising Deputy District Attorney over the Violent Criminal Enterprise Unit (VCEU), Kevin was promoted in March 2021 to one of four Chief Deputy District Attorney positions. As a Chief, Kevin oversaw VCEU as well as the Mainline Felony and Misdemeanor Trial Units.
“Without a doubt Kevin is one of the best qualified trial lawyers to have joined us recently,” shared Scott Shapiro, the firm’s Managing Partner. “But even more important than those qualifications is Kevin’s commitment to service, a commitment that I know will fit in well at Downey Brand.”
“When I made the decision to move into private practice, the opportunity to work for a firm like Downey Brand was one I couldn’t pass up. Working for the firm, and particularly working out of the Stockton office, will allow me to learn from and work with some of the best attorneys anywhere while also continuing to give back to the community that made me.”
In addition to his legal prowess, Kevin is heavily involved in his community. He is a board member of the Stockton Crime Stoppers—the first community “Crime Stoppers” program of its kind in California of the 26 that exist today—and a member of the Central Valley Chapter of the National Organization for Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). He also volunteers his time with Love Thy Neighbor Ministries in Stockton, and enjoys coaching youth basketball through the CYO and Upward organizations. Additionally, Kevin teaches a trial advocacy skills workshop for his alma mater, Stanford Law School.
Kevin earned an A.B. in History, Concentration in Law & Society with distinction from Cornell University in 2004, where he also played football. He holds a Master’s of Public Administration from Cornell University as well and received his J.D. with distinction from Stanford Law in 2009.