About Derek
Derek Patrin is an attorney who has practiced in Minnesota and at the federal level for more than two decades. He earned his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1996 after completing a B.A. in International Relations and Mandarin Chinese at the University of Minnesota in 1992. His academic background blends international studies and language training with professional legal education.
He began his legal career in Minnesota in the late 1990s. In 1999 he worked at Rider, Bennett, Egan & Arundel. The next year he established a sole practice, operating as Derek A. Patrin, Lawyer at Law. In 2001 he joined Gerald Miller & Associates, PA, and in 2005 he became a partner at Meaney & Patrin, PA. Those moves reflect steady experience in private practice across a range of matters handled in state and federal forums.
Patrin is admitted to the Minnesota bar and is authorized to appear before the Federal Circuit. He has represented clients in Minnesota courts and in proceedings that reach federal appellate tribunals. That dual practice environment requires attention to differing procedural rules and deadlines, and Patrin’s career tracks steady exposure to both systems.
Outside the office he has maintained professional ties through bar associations. He has been a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association since 1999. He also belongs to the 10th District Bar Association, a membership he has held since 2005. Those affiliations connect him to local colleagues and to resources relevant to litigation and appellate practice.
Colleagues and clients describe his work in practical terms: handling filings, managing schedules, and preparing written submissions for court. Over time his roles have ranged from solo practitioner to partner in a small firm. That variety has involved client counseling, courtroom appearances, and appellate briefing. His undergraduate study in international relations and Mandarin adds an uncommon academic background for a Minnesota practitioner, though his practice has remained grounded in domestic litigation and appeals.
He currently serves as a partner at Meaney & Patrin, PA. He practices in Minnesota and represents clients in proceedings before the Federal Circuit, handling litigation and appellate matters in those jurisdictions.
