SEATTLE – JAMS, the largest private provider of mediation and arbitration services worldwide, is pleased to announce that Hon. William L. Downing (Ret.) has been honored by The QLaw Association with its President’s Award. Judge Downing received the award in recognition of the 28 years he served as a King County Superior Court Judge.
QLaw, which is the Washington state LGBT bar association, bestowed the award at its annual banquet, held on April 27. In recognizing Judge Downing, the association noted his important 2004 ruling in the marriage equality case Andersen v. Sims (later retitled Andersen v. King County). In that case, which ultimately went to the Washington Supreme Court, Judge Downing found the state’s Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) law banning same-sex marriages to be unconstitutional. The case was notable, in part, because Judge Downing became the first trial court judge in the nation to find a state DOMA law unconstitutional.
I am deeply touched and flattered to have been selected by the QLaw Association as the recipient of this year’s President’s Award
-Hon. William L. Downing (Ret.), JAMS Neutral
Judge Downing retired from the bench in January 2017 as King County Superior Court’s senior-most judge. In March, he joined the JAMS Seattle Resolution Center as a mediator, arbitrator and special master hearing disputes involving Business/Commercial, Construction, Class Action/Mass Tort, Employment, Family Law, Insurance, Personal Injury/Torts, Professional Liability and Real Estate issues.
Judge Downing has a well-deserved reputation for being a thoughtful jurist who takes a fair and balanced approach when hearing disputes. We all congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition from the QLaw Association.
-Chris Poole, JAMS President and CEO
About JAMS
Founded in 1979, JAMS is the largest private provider of mediation and arbitration services worldwide. With Resolution Centers nationwide and abroad, JAMS and its nearly 350 exclusive neutrals are responsible for resolving thousands of the world’s important cases. JAMS may be reached at 800-352-5267.
About QLAW
QLaw Association is an association of LGBT legal professionals and their friends. It serves as a voice for LGBT lawyers and other legal professionals in the state of Washington on issues relating to diversity and equality in the legal profession, in the courts, and under the law.