Attorney Thomas T. Downer is a native Charlottean. He graduated from Central High School and served in the United States Air Force. He has an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a law degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. While at Carolina, he was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity. He has been practicing law in Charlotte since 1967 and concentrates his practice in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death and workers' compensation. He was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 1967. Attorney Downer was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by the State of North Carolina. He is a member of the North Carolina Bar, the American Bar Association, the American Association for Justice and the North Carolina Bar Association. He has been sworn into the United States Supreme Court. Attorney Downer has been married to his wife, Gretchen, for 52 years and has three grown children and one grandchild. Gretchen graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1965 with a double major in English and Spanish. She taught at South Mecklenburg High School for several years before going into the antiques' business with Attorney Downer's mother. She is currently President of the Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art. Attorney Downer's daughter, Morgan, graduated from Charlotte Latin School, Columbia University and Fordham Law School in New York City. She practices in New York City. His daughter, Peyton, graduated from Charlotte Latin School, lives in Charlotte and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in network system's administration and cyber security. His son, Andy, graduated from Providence High School, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the Charlotte School of Law. He is a partner at The Downer Law Firm, P.A.. Attorney Downer is a pilot and enjoys flying. He plays saxophone, his wife is an accomplished pianist and they often get together with friends for "music nights'. They have a home in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, where they enjoy listening to beach music and going shag dancing. Attorney Downer enjoys reading about history and collection classic cars. His sport is tennis.