CATHERINE F. DOWNING started her own firm in 1990, specializing in the representation of property management companies and landlords throughout Massachusetts. Prior to founding the firm, Ms. Downing graduated from Boston College in 1980 with a B.A. in history, magna cum laude, and from Suffolk University Law School in 1983 with a J.D., cum laude. She then served as a clerk to the Honorable Marilyn M. Sullivan at the Land Court. Following this clerkship, she went to work for a firm that specialized in real estate litigation, remaining there until she opened her own firm, which eventually became Downing Van Dyke. She is a frequent speaker for the New England Affordable Housing Management Association and has been honored by that group with an Award for Excellence in Providing Legal Education to the Affordable Housing Industry. Ms. Downing has also conducted seminars for the New England Resident Services Coordinators, Inc. and the Institute for Real Estate Management. She has also served as both panelist and chair for several programs for Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. and for the Social Law Library, providing education to lawyers on landlord-tenant issues, including the annual Housing Court Judicial Forum, and basic and advanced seminars on reasonable accommodations in housing and conducting an eviction trial.  Attorney Downing is also the editor and contributing author for the handbook for lawyers, Residential & Commercial Landlord Tenant Practice in Massachusetts, published by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc.  She has been honored by MCLE with one of the 2017-2018 Mentor-Scholar Awards, acknowledging her leadership in the landlord-tenant bar.  An Army brat, Ms. Downing has traveled extensively, including living in eight states and a foreign country, prior to returning to her family’s roots in New England.