Tributes paid to well-respected Doncaster solicitor Chris Downton

Chris Downton passed away on Sunday, February 14, leaving behind his wife Linda, son Christian, daughter Emma and two grandchildren.

After a successful career as an in-house group solicitor in large regional and multinational organisations in sectors as varied as coal and brewing, Chris set up his successful sole practitioner commercial law practice, Downton Commercial.

He ran the firm in Doncaster for 20 years before selling the practice to Taylor Bracewell last summer.

Chris worked closely with Taylor Bracewell staff, especially managing partner Sharon Beck and the rest of the commercial law team in the lead-up to the acquisition, and afterwards, when he continued to work as a consultant in the amalgamated practice out of the former Downton Commercial offices in Railway Court.

Sharon said: “Chris had a significant impact on everyone at Railway Court and will be greatly missed. He was a real gentleman in all of his business dealings, a reserved but very kind and considerate person.

“Virtually every law practice in Doncaster has courted Chris at some point over the past 10 years to either bring him into their firm or buy his practice, and we were extremely honoured that Chris chose Taylor Bracewell.”

The funeral service will take place at Rose Hill Crematorium in Doncaster on Friday, March 11, at 1.20pm. Refreshments will be served afterwards at the Mount Pleasant Hotel.