About Patrick L.
Patrick L. Woodward's legal career stretches back to the early 1980s. He completed undergraduate studies at St. Ambrose University, beginning in 1975 and earning a B.A. in 1979. He then enrolled at the University of Iowa College of Law in 1979 and received his J.D. in 1983. Those years set the foundation for a long tenure practicing law in the Midwest.
Woodward is admitted to practice in Iowa and holds admission to the United States Courts of Appeals for both the Seventh and Eighth Circuits. Memberships in the Iowa State Bar Association, the Scott County Bar Association, the Iowa Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice reflect his steady involvement in bar and trial communities. He has kept active ties to local and statewide legal organizations throughout his career.
His work has centered on courtroom practice and handling matters that move through trial and appellate levels. Admission to the Seventh and Eighth Circuits allows him to take cases beyond the state courts and into federal appellate practice when necessary. Over decades, that capacity has shaped the kinds of matters he accepts and the procedural strategies he uses.
Colleagues and opposing counsel describe him as methodical. He approaches a file by breaking it into its core issues and then following the procedural path those issues require. That methodical attention is often evident in how he prepares for hearings and manages discovery. He has maintained a practice anchored in litigation and trial preparation, while also addressing appellate briefing when cases warrant escalation.
Woodward’s professional path has kept him rooted in Iowa. He has balanced courtroom work with participation in bar groups that discuss trial tactics, evidence, and procedural rules. Those memberships have provided ongoing education and a forum for the exchange of practical ideas among trial lawyers in the state and beyond.
After more than four decades working as an attorney, he continues to handle litigation that moves from state courts to federal appellate panels. His practice today remains concentrated on litigation in Iowa and on appellate work in the federal circuits where he is admitted.
