About W. Patrick
W. Patrick Delaney earned his law degree from Capital University Law School in 1976 after completing a Bachelor of Arts at Gannon University in 1972. He began his professional life at a time when litigation was evolving rapidly. The legal training he received in Columbus prepared him for courtroom work and appellate practice. His academic record is straightforward and focused on preparing for trial and federal litigation.
He became a partner at MacDonald, Illig, Jones & Britton in 1993. That elevation marked a turning point in his career. Since then he has practiced alongside colleagues handling complex civil matters and federal cases. Public records show him admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and before several federal tribunals. He is admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He also holds admission to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Delaney’s professional affiliations reflect a long involvement in the trial bar. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an honor that signals sustained participation in jury and bench trials by peers. He holds memberships in the Federal Bar Association, the Erie County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice. Those memberships have kept him engaged with developments in evidence, procedure, and trial advocacy.
Colleagues describe him as someone who prefers the courtroom over the podium. He has blended trial work with appellate filings as his practice has required. His admissions to multiple federal courts and to the Supreme Court allow him to handle matters that move beyond state-level trial courts. He works on cases that require familiarity with both trial procedure and federal appellate standards.
Outside the courtroom, Delaney has participated in bar activities and professional exchanges that shape litigation strategy and courtroom technique. He has remained active in local and national bar groups, contributing to panels and discussions where trial practice is debated and refined. Those engagements have kept him current on shifts in jury selection, expert testimony, and evidentiary rulings.
He is currently a partner at MacDonald, Illig, Jones & Britton, where his practice concentrates on trial and appellate litigation.
