New York personal injury attorney Sean Downes represents a broad range of clients. One standout case occurred in 1996 when Downes won $3.25 million for a pregnant woman whose construction worker husband was killed when he fell from a building.

A Bayside, Queens native, Downes earned his bachelor's degree from Queens College (he spent his junior year in Dublin, where he became passionate about the political issues in Ireland), and his law degree from Hofstra University. His brothers, Larry (who is also on this list), Kevin and Chris are also lawyers.

He is involved in the Brehon (Irish) Law Society and credits his first big break to working to help Sean Mackin become the first Irish person to obtain political asylum in the U.S. He is one of the founders, along with his brother Larry, of the Friends of Sinn Fein.

Downes is married to Marianne, his wife of 20 years, and they have two daughters, Mollie and Katie.

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