Experience
Patrick is a Board Certified Labor and Employment Law attorney in our Jacksonville office and is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell. He received his B.A. from Duke University and his law degree from Vanderbilt University in 1971. He practices in the areas of Labor and Employment Law, Litigation, Appellate and Mediation.
He has extensive experience litigating before the state and federal courts in all areas of Labor and Employment Law, including matters arising under the federal and state civil rights acts, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, and the federal Wage and Hour law. He has successfully argued cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in matters arising under the ADA, the FMLA, and the FLSA. He has also drafted and handled litigation concerning non-competition and trade secret agreements and has lectured extensively on supervisory techniques and compliance with the various employment laws.
He has over forty years experience in dealing with unions, including handling union elections, collective bargaining, and contract administration. He is a certified federal court mediator and is often called upon to mediate complex business and employment litigation cases.
Patrick is a former Adjunct Professor of Labor Law at the University of North Florida. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America for the past 25 years and is a Master in the Chester Bedell Inns of Court. He is one of 19 lawyers listed in the Super Lawyers' List of Employment Litigators for the State of Florida, and he is listed in Florida's Who's Who Legal.
Professional
· The Florida Bar
- Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law
- Labor and Employment Law Section, 1973-present
- Past Member of Executive Committee
- Past Editor of Labor Section of the Florida Bar Journal
· United States District Court, Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
· United States Courts of Appeal for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits
· United States Supreme Court
· Jacksonville Bar Association
- Professional Ethics Committee, Chairman 1987-1988 and 1992-1993
· Recognized by Jacksonville Magazine as one of the "250 Best Lawyers of 2010" in Employment and Labor Law
· Florida Super Lawyers, 2006-2012
· Chambers USA, Labor & Employment 2009-2011
· Best Lawyers in America, 1987-2012
Civic
· Academy of Florida Management Attorneys, Charter Member
· Christian Legal Society, Member
· Goodwill Industries of N.E. Florida, Past Chairman
· City Rescue Mission, Past Chairman
· Mayor's Advisory Board on Television, Motion Picture and Commercial Production, Past Chairman
· Goodwill Industries of N.E. Florida Endowment, Board Member
· Rotary Club of Jacksonville, Member, Former Board Member
· Leadership Jacksonville Class of 2000
· The Salvation Army, Northeast Florida Advisory Board, 2012
Publications
· Co-Author: "Review of Administrative Agency Decisions," Federal Practice Guide, American Inns of Court/Lawyers Cooperative Publishing, 1996.
Significant Cases
· Gay v. Gilman Paper Co., 125 F.3rd 1432 (11th Cir. 1997)(Family and Medical Leave Act)
- In the first case in which the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit construed regulations issued under the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Court affirmed the grant of summary judgment to the employer on the issue whether the employee gave sufficient notice of need for FMLA leave and whether the reason for termination was a pretext for discrimination. (Oral argument presented)
· Woodham v. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc., 829 So.2d 891 (Fla. 2002)(Florida Civil Rights Act)
- This case outlined and clarified the administrative requirements under the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992. (Oral argument presented)
· Cameron-Grant, et al. v. Maxim Healthcare Services, Inc., 347 F.3rd 1240 (11th Cir. 2003)(Fair Labor Standards Act)
- In an action brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the court affirmed the denial of plaintiff's motion to notify other potential plaintiffs and dismissed the case as moot. (Oral argument presented)
· Roberts v. Rayonier Inc., 135 F.Appx. 351 (11th Cir. 2005)(American's with Disabilities Act)
- In a case involving the Americans with Disabilities Act, the court granted summary judgment to the employer finding that the plaintiff was not disabled and affirming dismissal of related state court claims. Retaliation claims were remanded because of issues of material fact. (Oral argument presented)