"For me, being a lawyer has always meant being a litigator. Trial by jury is enshrined in the Constitution, and the courtroom is one of the very few places ordinary citizens can stand on equal footing with giant corporations. Clients always appreciate someone standing up in court for them, telling their story to the judge, the jury and the public."
Pat has over thirty-five years of experience as a trial lawyer in state and federal courts across the country, concentrating in railroad, automobile and trucking accidents, wrongful death, catastrophic personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice and commercial litigation. Pat has secured numerous multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients. He has been regularly recognized for excellence as a lawyer and for service to the legal community.
After a successful college soccer career, Pat attended law school at St. Louis University. Thereafter, he had the great pleasure and distinction of serving as a law clerk for an esteemed judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Carl R. Gaertner. He then worked at a large defense firm in St. Louis before joining Gray Ritter Graham in 1992. He has been with the firm ever since.
Pat is a recipient of the President’s Award from the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys Board of Governors, a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers and Associate of the American Board of Trial Advocates. On three occasions, he has been elected President of the Missouri/Southern Illinois Chapter of ABOTA. He has been named Best Lawyer’s Plaintiff’s Lawyer of the Year in St. Louis and is among Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers in areas of transportation, maritime, litigation, and personal injury.
Pat is licensed in Missouri, Illinois, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. He has practiced in State and Federal Courts in Arkansas, Mississippi, Kansas, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas and Idaho. He has argued appeals in the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Circuit Courts of Appeal.
Best Lawyers of America St Louis Personal Injury – Plaintiff’s Lawyer of the Year (2017) Missouri Association of Trial Lawyers President’s Award (2004) Best Lawyers of America, Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs (2011-present) Best Lawyers of America, Railroad Law (2012-present) Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers: Recognized in area of Transportation (2006-present) Recognized in area of Maritime (2006-present) Recognized in area of Litigation (2006-present) Recognized in area of Personal Injury (2006-present) Martindale Hubbell Law Directory AV Peer Review Rating (highest) St. Louis University School of Law, Law Journal Assistant Managing Editor
Professional Associations
Professional
Fellow, American Bar Foundation Fellow, International Society of Barristers Associate, American Board of Trial Advocates Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, Board of Governors Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, Chair, Committee on Legislative Issues-Venue Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, Constitutional Review Committee American Board of Trial Advocates, Eastern Missouri & Southern Illinois, President American Association for Justice, Railroad Law section Trial Lawyers Care (Pro Bono Work for Families of 9/11 Victims)
“Where Are We, Where Are We Going?”, MATA Journal, Fall 2021
Article
“Prejudicial Error in the Admission or Exclusion of Evidence” (Co-Author), St. Louis Bar Journal (Fall 2019)
Article
“US Supreme Court – Federal Statutes Pertaining to Railroads Do Not Preempt All State Causes of Action,” Missouri Trial Attorney (June 1993)
Article
“The Standard for Admission of Scientific Evidence in Federal Courts: General Acceptance Is Out, Falsifiability Is In,” Missouri Trial Attorney (Oct. 1993)
Saint Louis University School of Law, St. Louis, Missouri J.D., 1985 Law Journal: St. Louis University Law Journal, Assistant Managing Editor, 1984 - 1985
Quincy College, Quincy, Illinois B.S., 1981
Admissions
Missouri, 1985
Illinois, 1986
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri, 1985
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Arkansas, 1986