Patrick is a partner on the Appellate team within the firm's Global Commercial Disputes group. His practice encompasses a wealth of substantive areas including financial services, class actions, aviation, employment, medical devices, insurance disputes, arbitration clauses, credit reporting, and elections. He is experienced in matters before the Supreme Court of the United States and has successfully briefed and argued cases nationwide. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has expressly noted Patrick’s “excellent representation” and “excellent briefing and argument” in multiple opinions.
Prior to joining Reed Smith, he taught as a Visiting Lecturer at Moi University School of Law in Kenya and clerked for Judge D. Michael Fisher on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Patrick maintains an extensive pro bono practice. In 2021, he received the firm’s Sean Halpin Award for pro bono service for his pro bono accomplishments, including victories for indigent individuals and non-profit organizations in the following areas:
LGBTQ+ Rights
- Rulings that Pennsylvania’s felony bar for name changes is unconstitutional, and attendant orders granting name changes to transgender petitioners. In re Alvarado, No. 210901990 (Phila. Cnty 2021); In re Porter, No. 21-11804 (Allegheny Cnty 2021); In re Noaker, No. 21-11805 (Allegheny Cnty 2021)
- Recognition of Pennsylvania’s first same-sex common-law marriage. In re: Estate of Kimberly M. Underwood, No. 2014-E0681-29 (Court of Common Pleas of Bucks County, Orphans’ Court)
- Recognition of a same-sex common-law marriage dating to 1990. Estate of Bernard O. Wilkerson, No. 500 DE of 2016 (Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Orphans’ Court)
- Ruling that Social Security must recognize Pennsylvania same-sex common-law marriages. Roberts v. Berryhill, 310 F .Supp. 3d 529 (E.D. Pa. 2018)
- Twelve name changes for transgender individuals in Illinois and Pennsylvania
Anti-Corruption and Democracy
Patrick has represented numerous public figures and non-profits that care about good government. In particular:
- Challenge to Ohio’s gerrymandered state legislative maps on behalf of The Ohio Organizing Collaborative, CAIR Ohio, and the Ohio Environmental Council.
- Four amicus briefs in the Supreme Court and federal courts of appeals on behalf of the Niskanen Center in support of plaintiffs challenging Emoluments Clause violations
- Two amicus briefs in the federal courts of appeals on behalf of the Brennan Center for Justice in support of states with strong campaign finance laws
- An amicus brief in the Supreme Court on behalf of a bipartisan group of governors —Larry Hogan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gray Davis, and John Kasich—on the necessity of judicial review to resolve gerrymandering disputes
- An amicus brief in the Missouri Court of Appeals on behalf of a bipartisan group of former lawmakers, including Senators John Danforth and Claire McCaskill, in support of challenge to deceptive language in a ballot measure that would have allowed for increased gerrymandering
Immigrants’ Rights
Patrick has represented individuals in immigration proceedings before the Supreme Court of the United States, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and Board of Immigration Appeals. He recently scored a win for a legal permanent resident originally from Trinidad & Tobago when the Third Circuit vacated the client’s order of removal and the Board of Immigration Appeals later terminated the removal proceedings entirely.
Mental Health
Patrick has successfully litigated numerous cases in the Cook County Circuit Court on behalf of rehabilitated individuals who were adjudicated not guilty of criminal charges due to a mental health issue and who sought conditional release from a state hospital after a period of inpatient care.
Veterans’ Rights
Patrick has authored three amicus briefs in the Supreme Court for the Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (formerly, CLASV) in support of veterans who wish to bring suit against the Veterans Administration under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
