He later worked as a special litigation counsel at the U.S. Department of Energy and then became a partner at the law firm of Winston & Strawn.
In January 1993, Downey was appointed president and chief operating officer of Barr Pharmaceuticals.
[4] Downey is a member of the board of directors for Cardinal Health and Momenta Pharmaceuticals.
Downey received a bachelor's degree with honors from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
He then received a Juris Doctor degree from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 1973, where he was an editor of the Ohio State Law Journal and graduated Order of the Coif.