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Introduction

Patrick is chair of the Latin America Practice Group.  He is also a member of Fredrikson & Byron’s Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions, International Business Law, and Life Sciences Groups. He has extensive experience advising clients with regard to international corporate matters, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, finance, distributors and agents, employment, licensing, technology transfers, and franchising. He works both with U.S. businesses expanding into foreign markets and foreign businesses seeking representation in the United States. While he works with clients doing business all over the world, he has particular expertise in Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and Latin America, generally. Pat advises clients on matters ranging from entity selection and tax structuring, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, finance, foreign investment, international sales, distribution and sales representative contracts, securing debt, labor law, and real estate development and energy and mining.

Pat oversees Fredrikson & Byron’s office in Monterrey, Mexico. He practices out of both the Minneapolis and Monterrey offices, traveling between the two offices as needed. Pat has accompanied Minnesota governors and the Minnesota Trade Office on trade missions all over the world.

Education

• University of Minnesota School of Law, J.D., 1988
• St. John’s University, B.A., summa cum laude,
  Major: Government, Minor: Spanish, 1983

Bar Admissions

• Minnesota, 1988

Practice Areas

• Latin America Practice, Chair
• Corporate
• International
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Internet, Technology & E-Commerce
• Franchise
• Emerging Business
• Life Sciences
• Commercial Law

Languages

• Fluent in Spanish

Selected Publications & Presentations

• “Doing Business in Brazil,” FredNEWS: International, December 2011
• Moderator, Business Challenges and Opportunities in Brazil & Chile, April 30, 2010
• “Manufacturing In Mexico,” FredNEWS: International, April 2010
• Speaker, Resilient Brazil: Economic and Political Insight on Business Opportunities, November 3, 2009
• Presenter, “The New Lawyer Experience,” Minnesota CLE Webcast Seminars, January 16, 2008
• “Doing Business in Costa Rica,” Fredrikson & Byron Global Perspectives Seminar, January 19, 2007
• “Cross Border Ethics: Privilege, Conflicts, The FCPA and More,” CLE Presentation for the 2006 International Business Law Institute MSBA International Business Law Section, April 27, 2006
• “Closing Real Estate Transactions in Mexico from Minneapolis,” co-authored with Luis G. Reséndiz, November 2005
• “Mexico: Basic Labor Law Concepts, Non-Competes, Non-Disclosures and Employee Inventions,” November 2005
• “Leap of Faith? Buying Real Estate in Mexico Through a Bank Trust (Fideicomiso)” co-authored with Luis G. Reséndiz, Fredrikson & Byron’s International Focus Newsletter, May 2004
• “Sun, Sand and Caveat Emptor: Buying Real Estate in Mexico,” Fredrikson & Byron’s International Focus Newsletter, November 2003
• “The Legal Eye - Global Reach,” Minnesota Technology, Summer 2003
• “Doing Business in China: Following The Trend - Forming a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise,” Fredrikson & Byron’s International Focus Newsletter, April 2002
• “Mexico, Maquiladoras and NAFTA,” Fredrikson & Byron’s International Focus Newsletter, March 2001

Professional Activities

• Member of the Hennepin County Bar Association, Business Banking & Financing Section, Chair, 1997-98
• Chair of Minnesota State Bar Association International Institute Planning Committee and Vice Chair of the International Business Law Section Council, 2000-2001; Committee member, 2000-present
• Member of the International Bar Association
• Member of the American Bar Association International Section
• Chair of the International Business Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association, 2001-2002; member of Governing Council, 2001-present
• Lecturer at University of St. Thomas Masters and Undergraduate programs on International Law
• Speaker at Minnesota Trade Office Export workshops
• Frequent speaker to trade groups on mergers and acquisitions, international law and corporate topics
• Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA) volunteer
• Chair of the Board of Directors, Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (“CLUES”), 2007; member of the Board of Directors of CLUES since 2000
• Founder and member of Advisory Board of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Minnesota
• Honorary Legal Counsel Mexican Consulate of St. Paul, 2005 to present

Honors & Distinctions

• Lifetime Recognition Award, CLUES, 2010
• Compadre of the Year, CLUES, 2005
• Volunteer of the Year Award, MEDA, 1990
• SBA Minority Business Advocate Award, 1990
• Minority Business Advocate Award, Department of Commerce, 1991