Bentley H. Patrick

Bentley Patrick is a labor and employment attorney with extensive civil trial experience who was previously a circuit judge in Jefferson County, Alabama. Mr. Patrick has experience with jury trials, workers’ compensation cases, and retaliatory discharge lawsuits, as well as with general insurance defense in state and federal courts across Alabama.

Mr. Patrick served as a circuit court judge in the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Alabama from May 2015 to January 2017. During that time, he presided over more civil jury trials than any other circuit judge in Alabama, including jury and non-jury trials and hearings in civil cases in excess of $10,000, plus cases involving equity jurisdiction.

He has rendered written opinions in more than 300 arbitration cases between insurance companies and has defended employers in circuit courts across Alabama in party and expert depositions, mediations, and trials. Mr. Patrick also has defended general liability and workers’ compensation cases in more than 34 Alabama counties.

A trained mediator, Mr. Patrick has mediated dozens of civil cases in a wide variety of disputes including personal injury, workers’ compensation, construction litigation, product liability, and insurance coverage.

Mr. Patrick worked for the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office in 1994 and 1995, trying misdemeanor cases, screening warrants, and writing briefs in manslaughter and capital murder cases.

EDUCATION:

• Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, J.D., 1995
• Birmingham-Southern College, B.A., philosophy/religion, 1989

ADMISSIONS : Alabama, 1995

Professional Honors & Activities:

• Member – American Inn of Court, Birmingham Chapter (2015 – 2018)
• Member – Birmingham Bar Association
• Member – Alabama State Bar Leadership Forum Alumni (2009 – 2018)
• Member – American Bar Association, Tort, Trial & Insurance Section member (2005 – 2009)
• Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) (2006)