J. Patrick Connell is an associate in the firm practicing primarily in the area of civil litigation. He received his undergraduate degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia in 2001 and graduated cum laude from Georgia State University School of Law in 2006. He worked as a Development Review Planner for the Athens-Clarke County Planning Department in Athens, Georgia for two years between undergraduate and law school. While attending law school, Patrick served as President of the Moot Court Board and the Oglethorpe Legal Society. He was a Pupil in the Bleckley Inn of Court and was selected as the student graduation speaker by his classmates.

Patrick has successfully defended a wide range of cases involving catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death, professional malpractice, products liability, and premises liability. Patrick also advises several small businesses and individuals on topics ranging from business startup to general commercial litigation.  He also has a strong interest in all aspects of land development that was fostered during his time as a landscape architecture student, city planner and law student.

Patrick is a member of the Tort and Insurance Practice, General Trial and Real Property sections of the Georgia Bar. He is also a member of the Savannah Bar Association, where he currently serves as the President of the YLD and sits on the Executive Committee.  

Education

• University of Georgia (B.L.A., Landscape Architecture, 2001)
  • STAR/Governor’s Scholar
  • Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholar
  • UGA Interfraternity Council, Vice President (2000)
• Georgia State University (J.D., cum laude, 2006)
  • Moot Court Board, President (2005 – 2006)
    
    • 2005 Intrastate Moot Court Competition
    • 2006 John J. Gibbons Criminal Procedure Competition 
  • Oglethorpe Legal Society, President (2005 – 2006)
  • Logan E. Bleckley Inn of Court, Pupil
  • CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Advanced Legal Writing and Advanced Real Estate Transactions

Memberships

• Young Lawyers Division of the Savannah Bar Association, President (2010 – 2011); President Elect (2009-2010); Treasurer (2008-2009)
• Savannah Bar Association, Executive Committee (2010 – 2011)
• State Bar of Georgia YLD, District Representative to Executive Council (2007-2008)
• Georgia Defense Lawyers Association

Court Admissions

• United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
• Supreme Court of the State of Georgia
• Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia
• Georgia State and Superior Courts

State Bar of Georgia

• District Representative to Executive Council, Younger Lawyer's Division Savannah Bar Association, 2007-2008
• Younger Lawyers Division, Savannah Chapter Executive Board (Treasurer, 2008-2009)

Civic Involvement and Charitable Boards:

• Member, William Jay Society of Telfair Academy of the Arts
• Member, Executive Board of Habersham YMCA (2010 – Present)

Representative Cases:

• Owens Fibreglass (GB) Limited v. Luzenac Micro Milling Limited – U.S. counsel for kaolin mining operation in major product liability case pending before the High Court of England and Wales
• Sawyer v. Knight, et al. - Summary judgment granted in premises liability case
• Webber v. Campbell Soup - Defense verdict in product liability case
• Milton v. Ark Self Storage – Defense verdict under Georgia Self-service Storage Facility Act
• AAA Cooper Transportation v. Salazar – Client dismissed upon motion at trial in automobile accident case
• Gross v. Ferris – Motion for Judgment on Pleadings granted by U.S. District Court in claim brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983
• Coleman v. Hodges, et al. – Defense verdict in automobile accident case
• Johnson v. Byrne – Defense verdict in automobile accident case
• Ard-Kelly v. Miller Fields – Client dismissed upon motion at trial in automobile accident case
• Walsh v. Georgia Theatre Company – II – Summary judgment granted in premises liability case
• Herring Tree Service v. United Casualty - Client dismissed upon  motion at trial in breach of contract case
• El-Khoury v. Teuton – Summary judgment granted in tort case
• Watts v. Ocwen Loan servicing, LLC – Dismissal of  wrongful foreclosure action by U.S. District Court