Ms. Olsson has significant experience defending employers and resolving matters involving allegations under the Age Discrimination Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Idaho Human Rights Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Family and Medical Leave Act.  Ms. Olsson frequently lectures and writes on employment law and conducts corporate in-house seminars to assist companies in recognizing and avoiding potential liability.  Ms. Olsson also taught employment law courses for the Center for Management Development at Boise State University and is a member of the Boise State University Foundation.

Ms. Olsson's medical malpractice experience includes numerous summary judgments for physicians, including  the significant Dulaney v. St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center decision, 137 Idaho 160, 45 P.3d 813 (2001), which affirmed the local standard of care rule in Idaho.  She has also successfully tried medical malpractice cases to defense verdict.  She frequently advises physicians on risk management issues and has conducted extensive risk training of doctors and hospitals through her years of practice.

Ms. Olsson is actively involved in several legal organizations, including the American Employment Law Council, International Association of Defense Counsel, American Bar Association Employment Law Section, Idaho State Bar Employment Law Section, and the Idaho Association of Defense Counsel.  In 2005 Ms. Olsson completed her second, six year term on the Idaho Supreme Court Rules of Civil Procedure committee.

Ms. Olsson's community activities include serving on the Board of the Boise Family YMCA, as immediate Past President of the Treasure Valley YMCA.  She is the recipient of the YMCA's 2008 Vern Emery Award.  Ms. Olsson is Chairman of the St. Luke's Children's Hospital Board, as well as continuing as a member of the executive committee of the Children's Advisory Board of St. Luke's Regional Medical Center.  Ms. Olsson was a founding member of CARES, the child abuse evaluation service at SLRMC, and served until it was disbanded in 2007.  Pat is also a member of the Idaho City Historical Society and is the Vice Chairman of the Friends of Nursing, an arm of the Boise State University Foundation.

Ms. Olsson attended New College of the University of South Florida and earned her law degree with high honors from Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology in 1983.

Areas of Practice

• Medical Malpractice 40%
• Employment Law Litigation 35%
• Construction Litigation 10%
• General Commercial 10%
• Employment Advice 5%
• Health Care

Representative Clients

• Micron Technology, Inc.
• AmeriPride Services, Inc.
• Intermountain Gas Company
• Hewlett-Packard Company
• St. Luke's Regional Medical Center
• Medical Insurance Exchange of California
• Northwest Physician's Mutual
• St. Paul's/Travelers
• CM Company
• cole + poe, Architects, P.A.
• Shand Morahan Insurance Company

Representative Cases

• Dulaney v. St. Alphonsus Reg'l Med. Ctr., 137 Idaho 160, 45 P.3d 816, Idaho (2002)
• Strongman v. Idaho Potato com'n, 129 Idaho 766, 932 P.2d 889, Idaho (1997)
• K. Hefner, Inc. v. Caremark, Inc., 128 Idaho 726, 918 P.2d 595, Idaho (1996)
• Santana v. Zilog, Inc., 878 F. Supp. 1373, D. Idaho (1984)
• Meckert v. Transamerica Ins. Co.,, 701 P.2d 217, 108 Idaho 597 (1984)
• Meckert v. Transamerica Ins. Co.,, 742 F.2d 505 (9th Cir. 1984)
• Rudd v. Merritt, 138 Idaho, 526, 66 P.3d 230 (2003)
• EEOC v. Micron Tech. Inc., 2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 5316 (2002)

West Practice Categories

Administrative Hearings & Adjudication, Antitrust Law, RICO Act, Age Discrimination, Disability & Illness Discrimination, National Origin Discrimination, Police Misconduct, Race Discrimination, Religious Discrimination, Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Affirmative Action, Discrimination, Freedom of Information, Freedom of Press, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Construction Contracts, Construction Liens, Housing & Construction Defects, Government Construction Contracts, Legislative Practice, Affirmative Action -- Employer, Americans with Disabilities Act -- Employer, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) -- Employer, Employee Rights -- Employer, Employment Contracts -- Employer, Employment Discrimination -- Employer, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) -- Employer, Federal Employer's Liability Act (FELA) -- Employer, Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA) -- Employer, Sexual Harassment -- Employer, Wage & Hour Laws -- Employer, Whistleblower -- Employer, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act -- Employer, Wrongful Termination -- Employer, Childrens' Rights, Domestic Violence & Neglect, Hospital Law, Bad Faith Insurance, Commercial Insurance, Directors' & Officers' Liability Insurance, Errors & Omissions Insurance, Fidelity, Guarantee & Surety, Insurance Malpractice, Insurance Subrogation, Life & Health, Motor Vehicle, Property & Casualty, Unfair Labor Practices, Wage & Hour Laws, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, Class Actions -- Plaintiff, Complex Litigation, Federal Appellate Practice, Federal Trial Practice, Multidistrict Litigation, State Appellate Practice, State Trial Practice, US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Tribal Jurisdiction, Animal Bites -- Defense, Assault & Battery -- Defense, Defamation & Privacy -- Defense, Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Defense, Premises Liability -- Defense, Property Damage -- Defense, Slip and Fall -- Defense, Wrongful Death -- Defense, Chemicals & Cosmetics, Machinery & Tools, Medical Products & Devices, Pharmaceutical Products, Dental Malpractice, Legal Malpractice, Medical Malpractice, Other Professionals Malpractice, Pesticides