From 2011 to 2016, Downing was an Assistant Attorney General for Oklahoma, where he represented the State of Oklahoma in criminal appeals, was a member of the Opinion Conference, and was Director of Legislative Affairs. Since 2011, he has also served as a Judge Advocate in the United States Army Reserve. In this capacity from 2013 to 2014, he served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney at Fort Hood, Texas, working with the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas.