Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck is pleased to announce that William (Bill) J. Downey will join the firm’s gaming practice as a shareholder. He will be based in the firm’s Atlantic City office and will serve as co-chair of the firm’s internationally recognized gaming and sports betting group.
“Bill has a stellar reputation for high-level gaming and regulatory work, making him an outstanding addition to our gaming platform,” said Frank Schreck, current chair of the firm’s gaming practice. “Recognizing the growth of gaming and potential online gaming on the East Coast, we expanded our physical presence into Atlantic City with the addition of Paul O’Gara and Pat Agnellini about seven years ago. Bill’s multijurisdictional practice and extensive online gaming experience is an important extension of our vision and will be a significant asset as we continue to lead the charge in the rapidly expanding online gaming and sports betting markets. With Bill’s leadership, we help ensure that Brownstein stays at the forefront of this growing industry.”
Brownstein is uniquely positioned to advise U.S. and foreign sports betting and online gaming interests on the requirements to become operational in the United States. Capitalizing on its regulatory expertise, Brownstein attorneys were pioneers on the first commercial arrangements for, and launch of, online gaming in New Jersey. In anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to set aside the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), the firm formalized a sports betting and online gaming subgroup and has completed many of the first sports betting transactions for clients in the U.S. with some of the biggest names in the industry in the U.S. and Europe.
Downey, with more than 25 years of experience in the Atlantic City and Pennsylvania markets, counsels mid-Atlantic casinos and other participants in the casino and hospitality industries on the regulatory, corporate and real estate aspects of their ventures. He has extensive experience in the prosecution of license applications before regulatory bodies, operational issues and financing transactions and is a trusted advisor on the expansion of gaming both physically and online throughout the East Coast.
“Brownstein already has a strong presence on the East Coast, both in Atlantic City and as a clear leader in the online gaming space, so it made sense to join forces as we experience unprecedented growth in the industry resulting from the PASPA ruling and states regulating online gaming,” said Downey. “I am excited to assume a leadership role in driving the continued success of Brownstein’s premier gaming practice, and to bring the benefit of our experiences in New Jersey and Pennsylvania to our clients throughout the U.S.”
Downey received his law degree from Rutgers University School of Law and a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame.