Collins, Patrick M.

Current Employment Position(s)

Partner

Lawyer Overview

Patrick Collins, a member of the firm's Executive Committee, is a highly accomplished trial attorney and investigator who focuses on representing companies and individuals in complex civil and criminal matters in federal courts throughout the United States. Considered one of the highest-profile attorneys in Chicago, Patrick has tried over 20 federal cases to verdict, and prevailed in each of them. In January 2010, Patrick was selected by the Chicago Law Bulletin as one of Chicago's "Top Ten" attorneys of the last decade. 

Since joining the firm in April 2007, Patrick has established and aggressively grown the Chicago Office's Investigations and White Collar practice. Patrick has led teams conducting internal investigations for Fortune 500 companies and public entities; Patrick also has represented individuals and companies in high-profile federal court litigation and in sensitive financial probes before various U.S. Attorneys' Offices, the SEC, and the CFTC.

Drawing heavily on his experience as a nationally recognized authority in public corruption matters, Patrick has provided preventive counseling and has conducted internal investigations regarding Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) matters.  He also has counseled universities and top university officials on a broad range of sensitive legal issues.

While at Perkins Coie, Patrick also has been selected for numerous independent, high-profile public engagements. In September 2009, Patrick was appointed by the United States Trustee and confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court as the Chapter 11 trustee for the A & O Life Fund LLC and six related estates. In January 2009, Patrick was appointed by Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn to chair the Illinois Reform Commission, which was tasked with making recommendations for ethical reform for Illinois government. In 2007, Patrick was selected as lead trial counsel for the Indiana Attorney General's Office in a ground-breaking civil RICO case, and, in 2008, as outside counsel for Wayne County Airport Authority's investigation of its multimillion dollar Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program (DBE), which led to a Department of Justice civil settlement with airport contractors for fraudulent DBE activities.

Prior to joining the firm, Patrick was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for 12 years in Chicago, the last four of which were as a supervisor in the corruption unit for U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. During his tenure, he spearheaded the eight-year Operation Safe Road investigation and led the prosecution team in the six-month trial and conviction of former Illinois Governor George Ryan.

Patrick regularly speaks to in-house counsel and corporate audiences on a variety of white collar topics, including conducting internal investigations and responding to sensitive inquiries by government agencies.  

Areas of Practice

• Investigations & White Collar Defense 80%
• Litigation 20%

Representative Cases

• Represented Boeing in dismissal of federal securities law suit
• Represented CEO of trading firm in CFTC and U.S. Attorney's investigations
• Conducted internal investigation for a Fortune 50 company on competitive bidding matter
• Conducted internal investigation for a major university into a potential false claims violation relating to federal grant funding
• Represented top university officials in state inquiries regarding inappropriate influence in admissions policies
• Advised university in conjunction with a national investigation into student loan program
• Conducted internal investigation for a Fortune 500 company into matters involving possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
• Led internal investigation for the Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) into possible irregularities in its multimillion dollar Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, which prompted a federal investigation and $1.4 million Department of Justice settlement with two contractors for fraudulent DBE activities
• Served as Chapter 11 trustee for the A & O Life Fund LLC and six related estates
• Served as lead trial counsel and obtained a $108 million federal court judgment against the former Mayor of East Chicago, Indiana, and former aides in a ground-breaking racketeering case brought by the State of Indiana

West Practice Categories

White Collar Crimes

Bar Admissions

• Illinois

Professional Associations and Memberships

• American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, 2010 - 2012 (Co-Chair, National White Collar Crime Committee Public Corruption and Extortion Subcommittee)

Honors and Awards

• Selected as one of Chicago's "Top 10" attorneys over the past decade, Chicago Law Bulletin, 2010
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation: White Collar Criminal Defense, 2010 - 2011
• Listed as Illinois Super Lawyer, Law & Politics, 2008 - 2011
• The Judge Robert Smith Ethics in Government Award, Justinian Society of Lake County, 2010
• Perkins Coie Pro Bono Leadership Award, 2009
• Attorney General's Award for Superior Performance by Litigative Team, 2006
• Chicago Crime Commission, "Stars of Distinction Award", 2006
• Director's Award for Superior Performance as an AUSA, 2003

Pro Bono Activities

• Chair, Illinois Reform Commission, 2009
• Supervising Attorney, Cabrini Green Legal Aid, 2007 - 2011
• Founder, Horizons for Youth, 1991 - 2011
• Board Member, Constitutional Rights Foundation, 2007 - 2011
• Board Member, Better Government Association, 2007 - 2011
• Board Member, Legal Aid Bureau of Metropolitan Family Services, 2007 - 2011
• Member, Perkins Coie Pro Bono Committee, 2007 - 2011

Past Employment Positions

• U.S. Attorney's Office, Chicago, IL, Deputy Chief, Public Corruption Section, 2004 - 2007
• U.S. Attorney's Office, Chicago, IL, Assist United State Attorney, 1995 - 2007
• Sachnoff & Weaver, Ltd., Chicago, IL, Associate, 1991 - 1995

Education

• University of Chicago Law School, Chicago, Illinois, 1991
  J.D
• University of Notre Dame,, 1986
  B.A.,

Published Works

• FCPA Practitioner Tips for Running a Foreign Language Document Review and Interviews, American Bar Association's Criminal Justice Section Newsletter, 2010
• Can Dodd-Frank Deliver on Its Whistleblower Protection Promise?, Directorship Magazine, 2010
• FCPA Enforcement Officials Up the Ante on Self-Disclosures, Bloomberg Law Reports, 2010
• Off to the RICO Races? Implications of the Supreme Court’s Decision in Boyle, White Collar Crime Report, 2009
• Someone’s Listening: How Wiretaps Can Transform High-Profile White Collar Investigations, White Collar Crime Report, 2009

Address

131 South Dearborn Street
Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60603-5559

Phones

(312) 324-8558

Faxes

(312) 324-9558

Emails

pcollins@perkinscoie.com

Websites

http://www.perkinscoie.com