Skip to Main Content
Paul Barnet Bio Image | Much Law

Patrick is an attorney in Much’s Chicago office where he focuses on complex litigation and dispute resolution in the construction industry. His firsthand experience includes litigating multimillion-dollar disputes, including breach of contract, delay and disruption claims, design and construction-defect claims, bond claims, and mechanic's lien disputes. His work spans commercial, contract, real estate, employment, and insurance defense matters in state and federal courts as well as in arbitration.

Recently, Patrick has advised on litigation involving public works projects, high-rise commercial and mixed-use buildings, process facilities, airports, hotels, universities, and other large commercial and institutional facilities with up to eight-figure liability at issue.

Patrick’s fierce advocacy for his clients encompasses all stages of litigation, from inception through resolution. He takes the lead on drafting and arguing dispositive and discovery motions, including motions for summary judgment and motions to dismiss. He also leads and defends discovery, evidence, and expert depositions, develops and manages complex discovery, handles witness preparation and interviews, and negotiates settlements and other pretrial agreements.

On the transactional side, Patrick understands that every construction project, regardless of size and scope, carries risks for interested parties, and he is invested in helping construction players understand and mitigate those risks. In that same vein, property owners, developers, design professionals, general contractors, and specialty subcontractors rely on Patrick to draft and analyze American Institute of Architects contract documents, master form agreements, and project-specific agreements. He routinely counsels construction clients on project delivery methods, compliance matters, risk management, and risk transfer, including insurance coverage and bonded construction projects.

Patrick co-authored the “Representing the Architect” chapter of Representing the Parties to a Construction Project 2024 Edition, a handbook for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, which serves as a resource for attorneys representing major parties to construction projects, including architects, contractors, lenders, and more. His work in the forefront of construction developments has also been published in legal publications, including the National Law Review, which shared Patrick’s thought leadership on a notable change in legal precedent for inadvertent construction defect claims in the insurance industry.

As a former student-athlete, Patrick maintains an interest in sports and entertainment law. As part of his litigation experience, Patrick successfully defended a high-profile men's basketball coach at a historic NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program during an NCAA investigation. In addition to civil defense, current and former professional athletes and entertainers regularly call on Patrick to assist with financial affairs, intellectual property rights, and business endeavors.

Much More Than My Work

I serve as a volunteer attorney with First Defense Legal Aid, a nonprofit organization that aims to interrupt mass incarceration at the point of entry by filling gaps in public defense. In this role, I provide legal representation to individuals in police custody and educate them on protecting their constitutional rights.

News & Insights

much more