By Debra Solomon Baker
Ed Dowd
attorney,
Dowd Bennett LLP
Many young children run around trying to battle the forces of evil. However, it seems that Ed Dowd took the pretend play a bit more seriously than most neighborhood kids. In fact, by the age of seven, Dowd already had a career path mapped out; he imagined a life spent protecting citizens from violent criminals. Yes, the seven-year-old Dowd imagined life as a prosecutor.
Dowd has had quite a rich professional life and has, in so many ways, fulfilled his boyhood fantasies.
Less than
two years ago, he and Jim Bennett left Bryan Cave LLP to form
their own firm, Dowd Bennett LLP, which focuses on civil and criminal
litigation. In the firm's first trial, attorneys secured for their
client a $36 million verdict. In its second, four of the firm's
lawyers (including Dowd) defended a $100 million professional
negligence and fraud case brought by Metro against four engineering
firms. The jury not only ruled for the defendants, but then awarded
them $2.56 million.
As a leader, he draws on his ability to see the big picture.
"I have
perspective and, therefore, I go for a result that seems reasonable
for everyone.
"Our
goal is not to litigate cases, but to figure out what's best.
If we do have to litigate, we will, and we'll win."
Dowd has represented many clients before the S.E.C., the Department of Justice and other federal and state agencies. From 1993-1999, he served as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.
He then assisted former Sen. John C. Danforth as Deputy Special Counsel for the Waco investigation.
Dowd has hired a team of hardworking, bright professionals, each of whom graduated with honors and five of whom clerked for Supreme Court or other federal judges. He believes firmly in giving young people responsibility, establishing clear expectations and then providing strong support networks.
"It is
fun to go to work each day," he says. "There is tremendous
enthusiasm here. We are so determined and dedicated to providing
the best legal representation possible."
Dowd serves as President of the Saint Louis Regional Crime Commission, and as President of the National Association of Former U.S. Attorneys.
The seven-year-old Dowd would surely be proud of what he has become.
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE INSIGHTS
When you were a teenager and dreamed about your future career, what did
you envision?
"In all
honesty, as a teenager, I had very little idea as to what I wanted
to do career-wise. However, I did have an Aunt in Denver who advised
me that there would always be a need for people in the business
world, but that if that didn't work out, I could always come to
Colorado and be a Forest Ranger. Well, I took her original advice,
although there are days when the Forest Ranger thing sounds pretty
good."
Douglas
H. Yaeger
chairman, president and CEO,
Laclede Gas Co.
"When
I was a sophomore in high school I decided that I wanted to be
a trial lawyer. As an avid reader, I was captivated by a book
about Clarence Darrow and his defense of Leopold and Loeb. I envisioned
myself as a criminal lawyer representing clients in difficult
and well-publicized cases. I fulfilled that dream early in my
career and then moved to the trial of commercial and intellectual
property litigation. I love trial work just as much today as I
did when I first graduated from law school."
Joseph
P. Conran
co-chairman,
Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP
"As a
teenager my mind was on many things. I quickly found out
I was predestined to be in the construction/engineering business
as free weekend labor for my father's engineering projects."
Michael
A. Zambrana
president,
Pangea Inc.
For more information on the Leadership Circle, please contact
John Diefenbach, vice president-membership, (314) 444-1184 or
jdief@stlrcga.org.
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