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Biographical Information

Patrick J. R. Ward is a member in the Firm’s litigation and admiralty law sections. He handles various litigation matters including personal injury defense, Jones Act defense, workers’ compensation defense (both Alabama and Longshore and Harbor Workers) and contractual/business disputes.

After growing up in Mobile, Patrick attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. While at the Academy, Patrick was appointed to several leadership positions and served aboard numerous cargo ships which delivered goods to countries all over the world. Upon graduation, Patrick received a commission in the United States Navy and retired from the Navy Reserve in 2012 as a Lieutenant Commander. Patrick also has a Third Mate’s Unlimited License from the United States Coast Guard.

Patrick received his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2008. While in law school, Patrick was a Senior Editor on the Journal of the Legal Profession and was active in the Parham H. Williams Trial Competition. He is a member of the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, The Mobile Propeller Club, the Maritime Law Association and is active in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Mobile. Patrick has also been named an Alabama Super Lawyers Rising Star. He was admitted to the Alabama Bar in 2008 and lives in Mobile with his wife Jennifer, son Jackson and daughters Sophie and Avery.

Billing Rate: $225

Admissions

  • Alabama State Bar, 2008

Education

  • J.D., University of Alabama School of Law, 2008 
  • B.S., United States Merchant Marine Academy, cum laude, 2002

Awards

  • Graduate of The IADS International Trial Academy at Stanford Law School
  • Alabama Super Lawyers Rising Star®, Transportation/Maritime
  • NCEA Distinguished Graduate Award

Employment Litigation

The lawyers in our Employment Litigation Practice Group represent both employers and employees in contract disputes and in litigation involving allegations of discrimination, harassment and other employment law claims. Our lawyers also have significant experience in administrative proceedings and civil service hearings involving claims for unemployment compensation, workers’ compensation and civil rights violations.

Our employment litigation lawyers also represent management personnel in affirmative action compliance reviews, wage and hour investigations, Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) complaints, veterans’ rights claims, and other investigations and proceedings conducted by the U. S. Department of Labor. Regardless of the scope of the issue and the circumstances involved, if you or your company is facing an employment-related legal dispute, our lawyers can use their extensive experience to protect you.

Employment Litigation Counsel for All Types of Employment-Related Claims

Our firm’s employment litigation practice encompasses all types of employment-related claims under state and federal law. This includes state-level claims as well as claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Sections 1981 and 1983, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), and the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act).

Our lawyers routinely represent employers, management personnel and employees in mediation, arbitration, litigation, and administrative and civil service hearings involving:

  • Data security breach claims
  • Employment-related tort actions
  • Fiduciary duty claims
  • Harassment and discrimination claims
  • Non-competition and non-solicitation covenant breach claims
  • Retaliation claims
  • Trade secret misappropriation
  • Wage, hour and labor disputes
  • Workers’ compensation claims
  • Wrongful discharge actions

Employment litigation often presents unique dynamics; and, for employers, the risks of facing employment-related allegations can extend beyond the potential liability arising out of the dispute itself. We help our clients make informed and strategic decisions that take into account both their immediate and long-term interests, and we aggressively target favorable results that protect our clients to the fullest extent possible.

Speak with a Lawyer in Our Employment Litigation Practice Group

For more information regarding the Employment Litigation Practice Group at Hand Arendall Harrison Sale, please contact Practice Group Leader Mark T. Waggoner or any of the other lawyers in the Practice Group.

Worker’s Compensation

The lawyers in our Worker’s Compensation Practice Group represent insured and self-insured employers in the investigation and defense of worker’s compensation claims. Our lawyers provide a wide range of services to employers in these matters, including pre-litigation claims handling advice, assistance with navigating the overlapping requirements of worker’s compensation laws and other federal and state employment laws and regulations, representation in workers’ compensation claims and appeals, and representation in litigation involving allegations of retaliation and wrongful termination.

While a significant portion of our firm’s worker’s compensation practice is devoted to representing employers in claims filed under state worker’s compensation statutes, the lawyers in our Workers’ Compensation Practice Group are also experienced in representing maritime employers in Longshore & Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act and Jones Act claims. These federal laws provide special protections to onshore, nearshore and offshore workers, and they present unique challenges for employers faced with employees’ claims for benefits.

Experienced Defense Counsel for State and Federal Worker’s Compensation Claims

With decades of experience representing employers across a broad spectrum of industries, our Workers’ Compensation Practice Group has successfully defended companies of all sizes against virtually all types of workers’ compensation claims. Our practice encompasses the investigation and defense of claims arising out of:

  • Construction accidents
  • Dumping and backfill accidents
  • Electrocution injuries
  • Equipment and heavy machinery accidents
  • Exposure to infectious diseases
  • Exposure to toxic fumes, chemicals and particulates
  • Fires and explosions
  • Ladder and scaffolding accidents
  • Maritime accidents
  • Repetitive stress and repetitive strain injuries
  • Slips, trips and falls
  • Vehicle collisions

In addition to providing workers’ compensation claim defense, we routinely represent companies in personal injury and wrongful death litigation arising out of work-related accidents as well. If your company is facing potential exposure beyond the scope of its workers’ compensation coverage, our lawyers will work to ensure that any liability your company may ultimately face is no greater than absolutely necessary.

The lawyers in our Worker’s Compensation Practice Group are members of the Alabama Defense Lawyer’s Association, the Alabama Worker’s Compensation Organization, the Alabama Self-Insurer’s Association, the Associated General Contractors, the Associated Builders and Contractors, the Alabama and Mobile Homebuilder’s Associations, and numerous other legal and industry organizations. Many of our lawyers also frequently write and speak on topics related to workers’ compensation and other work injury claims.

Representative Starr Adjustment Services, Inc. Matters 

  • Shirley Smith v. Air Evac, et al.
  • Farmco Builders, Inc.
  • P & M Mechanical
  • Education Corporation of America – Chisholm
  • Education Corporation of America – Birmingham
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