Rowan Downing QC has appeared extensively in appeal and review cases. He has practiced the areas of public international law involving both human rights and international criminal law , anti-corruption, international and domestic anti-money laundering,  transnational crime, criminal forfeiture,  finance, equity, property law, banking and commercial law,  corporations law, trade practices, humanitarian law,  criminal law and regulatory law. He has advised governments, commercial entities and international organisations.

Rowan has appeared as counsel in arbitrations in respect of general commercial disputes. 

Before his appointment as an international judge in 2006 as part of the United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal he was a Member of the London Institute of Chartered Arbitrators. He is also a former member of the CFA.

He was a judge of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of the Republic of Vanuatu from 1993-1995 and was Solicitor General of Vanuatu for three years from 1999 to 2002.

Rowan has practiced in Australia and undertaken aid and advisory work in the Philippines, China, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius, Vanuatu, Japan, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Italy, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vietnam and Timor-Leste.