Downey Brand Names Four New Partners
January 8, 2024
Downey Brand is pleased to announce that Kelly Breen, Sean McKissick, Kevin Rooney, and Patrick Veasy have been elected to the firm partnership effective January 1, 2024.
Kelly Breen is a member of Downey Brand’s litigation department, where she represents clients in commercial litigation, particularly real estate litigation, construction defect litigation, personal injury defense, premises liability, toxic tort litigation, and product liability cases. In 2023, Kelly was selected for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow program. She earned her J.D. from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly University of California, Hastings College of the Law) in 2009 and her B.A., cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in 2010.
Sean McKissick is a member of the firm’s litigation department with extensive experience litigating trust and estate disputes before federal and state court judges, arbitrators, and mediators throughout California and beyond. He edits Trust on Trial, a leading blog on California trust and estate litigation that is an educational resource for lawyers and members of the public. He also serves on the executive committee of the Probate and Estate Planning Section of the Sacramento County Bar Association. Sean earned his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 2008 and his B.A., cum laude from Brigham Young University in 2005.
Kevin Rooney is a member of the firm’s litigation practice who represents clients in complex business, construction, real property, and employment litigation disputes. Before moving into private practice in 2021, Kevin served as Chief Deputy District Attorney for San Joaquin County. Active in his community, Kevin gives much of his time to local philanthropic efforts such as Love Thy Neighbor Ministries, the Catholic Youth Organization where he coaches basketball, and volunteers as a teacher for the Trial Advocacy Skills Workshop at his alma mater Stanford Law, where he earned his J.D., with distinction, in 2009. Kevin also holds an M.P.A. and a B.A. from Cornell University, from which he graduated in 2006 and 2004 respectively.
Patrick Veasy is a member of Downey Brand’s environmental law practice, where he represents clients in environmental compliance and enforcement matters. He routinely works on water quality matters under the California Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act and federal Clean Water Act, as well as environmental site remediation issues and toxic tort litigation, including actions under California’s Proposition 65. Patrick co-authors Downey Brand’s Proposition 65 trends and highlights newsletter and frequently writes about other emerging issues, such as the regulation of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In 2023, he was recognized by Best Lawyers in America© as a member of “Ones to Watch” in environmental law. Patrick earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 2014 and his B.A. from the University of Michigan in 2009.