Practice Areas
Education
University of Wisconsin Law School J.D., 1984, cum laude
University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A., 1981
Admissions
Wisconsin
Illinois
When claims are made against professionals, Pat is the attorney called to advocate for their interests. With more than 30 years of both civil litigation and prosecution experience, Pat is a founding member of the firm and co-managing partner of the Milwaukee office. He defends professionals from doctors to architects; lawyers to insurance adjusters and most in between. Additionally, he handles matters involving construction litigation and the defense of catastrophic injuries. Pat especially enjoys adversarial work on behalf of professional services firms, as he finds the lawsuits they face to be more personal and not merely an economic issue.
Pat recently represented a stock broker in a FINRA arbitration wherein the arbitrators found in Pat’s client’s favor and awarded back nearly all of Pat’s attorney fees. The claim involved allegations that Pat’s client breached fiduciary duties and was negligent. Petitioner alleged Pat’s client liquidated accounts and made improper investment recommendations into other accounts. Pat won the case and successfully had the claim expunged from his client’s Central Registration Depository (CRD) by a circuit court judge.
Honors
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Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ rated
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Selected to the Wisconsin Super Lawyers List: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
- Selected to The Best Lawyers in America© in Professional Malpractice: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
- Selected to The Best Lawyers in America© Lawyer of the Year List in Professional Malpractice - Defendants, Milwaukee: 2021
Memberships & Involvement
- Member: Illinois State Bar Association; Wisconsin State Bar Association; Milwaukee Bar Association; Professional Liability Underwriting Soceity (PLUS); Defense Research Institute
Experience
- Successful representation of a trustee at trial in a legal malpractice case alleging trustee negligent in the handling of a trust
- Successful defense of a stock broker in a FINRA case alleging his negligence in regard to investment recommendations for an elderly couple
- Represented a New Jersey prime subcontractor against a general contractor in an action alleging the client was responsible for delay damages and increased construction costs totaling $38 million
News & Press Releases
- SmithAmundsen, November 17, 2020
- August 20, 2020
- SmithAmundsen, November 11, 2019
- August 15, 2019
- November 13, 2018
- August 15, 2018
- SmithAmundsen, November 10, 2017
- November 1, 2017
- August 15, 2017
- SmithAmundsen, November 28, 2016
- Super Lawyers, November 10, 2015