Patrick M. Arenz
Overview
Intellectual Property and Entertainment Litigation Experience
Patrick is a sought-after trial lawyer for inventors, screenwriters, and artists across patent, copyright, trade secret, and rights of publicity disputes. Most recently, as lead trial counsel, he won a $42.4 million verdict for Willis Electric, in what is believed to be the largest patent jury verdict in the District of Minnesota history. In 2022, he served as lead trial counsel for two Hollywood screenwriters in their high-profile copyright case against Disney over the multi-billion-dollar blockbuster movie franchise, “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Patrick defeated Disney’s motion for summary judgment and cross-examined some of Hollywood’s biggest names, like famed-producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
Patrick also represented celebrity chef Chloe Coscarelli, winning an arbitration that restored her 50% ownership in the “by Chloe” fast-casual vegan restaurant company she founded and valued at over $60 million, enjoined the company from selling retail products using Chloe’s name, and awarded over $2.2 million in attorneys’ fees and costs (affirmed in full by the Southern District of New York). When the investors, led by Bain Capital, tried to circumvent that award in bankruptcy, Patrick won a trial that precluded the sale of the “by Chloe” trademark—the company’s “crown jewel asset”—without Chloe’s consent.
Patrick has also represented patent owners across a wide range of technologies and industries. Representing patent owners like Personal Audio, Affinity Labs, TV Interactive, and Puget BioVentures, he has secured more than $75 million in license agreements for his clients. He has also handled high-stakes competitor-v-competitor patent litigation, like Medtronic’s offensive patent litigation against Edwards Lifesciences, and his current representation of Willis Electric against its largest competitor, Polygroup, in its multi-million-dollar patent case over artificial Christmas trees. IAM has included Patrick in the IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals list for years.
Plaintiffs’ High-Stakes Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Experience
Patrick has held companies that caused catastrophic injuries and death accountable in court. In 2021, he won a $27.8 million jury verdict, including $10 million in punitive damages, against an air evacuation company that the jury found caused an above-the-knee amputation. Patrick has also represented family members who have lost loved ones to suicide based on negligent mental health treatment. And he won a $950,000 jury verdict against a man who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl in Laos. Patrick is currently representing a rape survivor against her abuser as well. Minnesota Lawyer named him to its Power 30 list for the best personal injury lawyers in Minnesota.
Business Litigation Experience
Patrick has handled a diverse set of business disputes, like breach of contract, defamation, and business torts, for both plaintiffs and defendants. Patrick recently won a jury verdict for Covidien against a former employee, who the jury found misappropriated confidential information and led to a final judgment over $2 million. In 2016, Patrick was trial counsel for a closely held business in a contract dispute with La-Z-Boy, which resulted in a $5.7 million verdict and which later settled for $13.5 million on appeal.
Patrick has also won significant cases for defendants before trial. In 2023, for instance, he won summary judgment for his client against an international oil and gas company, which had sued a former employee for breach of contract, trade secret misappropriation, and various business torts for over $6 million. He also won a complete dismissal for restaurant entrepreneur David Pisor in a case for breach of contract, business torts, and fraud.
Appellate Experience
Patrick has argued significant appeals at the Federal Circuit, Ninth Circuit, Eighth Circuit, and Minnesota Court of Appeals and Minnesota Supreme Court. In 2022, he won the landmark ruling at the Minnesota Supreme Court in Smits v. Park Nicollet, which found that mental healthcare providers owe a duty to provide reasonable medical care to their patients, even if the patient dies by suicide on an outpatient basis. Patrick also secured a reversal from the Eighth Circuit that allowed another client’s defamation claim to proceed.
Pro Bono Experience
Patrick is passionate about ensuring access to justice for all, not just those who can afford it. From 2015 through 2018, he chaired Robins Kaplan’s Pro Bono Committee. Under his leadership, The American Lawyer ranked the firm as having the fourth-best pro bono program in the country. Law360 and The National Law Journal, among other national publications, also recognized the firm’s program during his tenure. As chair, Patrick led by example. In 2017, he obtained what is reported to be the first-ever verdict in a civil sex tourism case; the jury awarded $950,000 to his client after finding that she had been sexually assaulted in Laos at the age of 14 by a 43-year-old U.S. citizen.
Patrick also serves as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois in the state’s suit against the City of Chicago for police misconduct and civil rights violations. The ABA recognized Patrick’s dedication to pro bono work by awarding him its prestigious Pro Bono Publico Award in 2018, and Public Justice named him one of four finalists for Trial Lawyer of the Year.
Practices
Admissions
- Minnesota
- New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
- U.S. Supreme Court
