- Home
- About Us
- Attorneys
- Practice Areas
Litigation
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Appellate Practice
- Aviation Law
- Catastrophic Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Litigation
- Eminent Domain and Condemnation
- Health Care Law
- Insurance Defense, Coverage, and Extra-Contractual Litigation
- Mass Tort, Multi-District, and Class Action Litigation
- Medical Devices and Pharmaceutical Products Defense Litigation
- Medical Malpractice and Professional Liability Defense
- Products Liability Defense
- Real Estate Transactions and Litigation
- White Collar Defense and Internal Investigations
- News
- Clients
- Careers
- Contact
- (251) 432-5521
PATRICK C. FINNEGAN
Member of the Firm
Martindale-Hubbell Rating:
AV Preeminent

Professional Experience
Patrick specializes in complex litigation and has a wide-ranging civil practice that includes personal injury and wrongful death actions, product liability, civil rights claims brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, commercial litigation, and appellate work. Patrick is also a federal criminal defense attorney with extensive experience in white collar matters and internal investigations. Over the last decade, much of Patrick’s practice has been devoted to civil, regulatory, and criminal matters arising in the health care field.
Patrick and his wife, Gina, moved to Mobile from New York in part because of the beauty of the city’s architecture. Patrick is past president of Restore Mobile, an organization dedicated to preserving and reviving Mobile’s historic neighborhoods. Patrick and Gina have two children.
Education
- Fordham University School of Law, J.D. (1995)
- Queens College, B.A. (Political Science) (1990)
- NationalUniversity of Ireland, Galway, B.S. (Biochemistry) (1982); Post-graduate diploma in computer systems (1983)
Bar & Court Admissions
- Alabama
- New York
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Alabama
- Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
Awards
- Martindale-Hubbell Rating: AV Preeminent
Judicial Clerkship
Law Clerk to Honorable Richard W. Vollmer, Jr., United States District Court, Southern District of Alabama, 1995-1996.
Extended Attorney Profile
After graduating from Fordham Law School in New York in 1995, Patrick spent a year as federal law clerk. He then joined a large, Manhattan-based international law firm where he practiced for seven years before moving to Mobile to join Helmsing Leach.
Practice Areas
In his quarter century as a litigator, Patrick has developed a particular expertise with complex cases, including False Claims Act and RICO lawsuits. He has represented clients in a broad range of matters, including catastrophic injury and wrongful death actions, product liability cases (including multidistrict litigation involving pharmaceuticals and medical devices), insurance disputes and commercial litigation of all kinds.
Patrick is also a federal criminal defense attorney and has been involved in a wide array of criminal matters, including cases involving public corruption, environmental law violations, insurance fraud, antitrust, and securities fraud and other financial matters. He has represented clients at all stages of criminal proceedings from the investigation phase through indictment, pretrial motions and hearings, trial, and appeal. His successes include assisting clients under criminal investigation to avoid charges and adverse publicity. He has also conducted internal investigations for corporate clients in a broad spectrum of industries, including health care, manufacturing, engineering, and finance.
Patrick has great expertise in health care matters. He has represented physicians, pharmacists, and other health care clients in all manner of civil, regulatory, and criminal investigations and proceedings, including matters pursued by the United States Department of Justice; the DEA, FBI, and other law enforcement agencies; Medicaid Fraud Control Units; and state licensing boards. He has extensive experience assisting the targets of False Claims Act investigations and lawsuits, including qui tam and retaliation claims brought by whistleblowers. He has worked with numerous clients in responding to Civil Investigative Demands served by the federal government. He has handled many cases involving allegations of Medicare and Medicaid fraud, the Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute, and has helped clients successfully work through the Self Disclosure Protocol of the OIG of the Department of Health and Human Services.
In every representation, whether the case is straightforward or complex, civil or criminal, Patrick keeps his focus on what is best for his client. He ensures clients fully understand all the legal strategies available to them, and the pros and cons of each option, factoring in not only potential legal consequences but also business concerns and other important client considerations. His objective always is to obtain the best outcome for his client as efficiently as possible.
Representative Engagements
- After winning dismissal of a majority of plaintiff’s claims on motion to dismiss, reached favorable settlement in False Claims Act lawsuit against physician practice alleging overutilization, unnecessary medical procedures and Anti-Kickback Law violations
- Represented specialty pharmacy being investigated by Mississippi Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. No action taken against client.
- In mediation with the government before the qui tam complaint was unsealed, reached favorable settlement of False Claim Act lawsuit against physician practice that included claims under the Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute, for alleged breach of numerous Medicare and Tricare regulations and retaliation.
- Represented client targeted in connection with large scale federal criminal investigation of alleged bid-rigging scheme in violation of the Sherman Act that led to over a dozen convictions. Client was not charged.
- In multiple separate cases, assisted health care industry clients respond to investigations by the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Diversion Control Program
- In multiple separate cases, conducted internal investigations for health care providers concerning possible fraud by physicians and other employees.
- Achieved favorable resolution for health care client facing substantial potential exposure under CMS’s 60-Day Overpayment Rule and Monetary Penalties Law by successfully utilizing Self Disclosure Protocol of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.
- Won dismissal of products liability lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, on behalf of defendant pharmaceutical manufacturer and pharmacy company. On eve of court hearing on defendants’ motions for summary judgment, plaintiff voluntarily dismissed lawsuit rather than respond to motions.
- Won dismissal of product liability action against contact lens manufacturer in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama.
- In mediation and arbitration of Alabama derivative lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court of Baldwin County, Alabama, won full ownership of limited liability company for client in dispute with partner who formerly owned fifty percent interest in company.
- Reached favorable settlement for overseas manufacturing company in multi-defendant wrongful death case resulting from industrial accident.
- Represented investor in FINRA arbitration against national brokerage firm and broker who had engaged in unauthorized trading and churning on investor’s account, and recovered client funds in settlement.
Representative Court Decisions
- United States ex rel. Gacek v. Premier Med. Mgmt., 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 101963, 2017 WL 2838179 (S.D. Ala. June 30, 2017) (won dismissal of three of four qui tam claims in False Claims Act whistleblower lawsuit)
- NCI Group, Inc. v. Cannon Services, Inc., 2011 WL 5599127, RICO Bus.Disp.Guide 12,146 (N.D. Ga. Nov 16, 2011)
- Barnhill v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., 819 F.Supp.2d 1254 (S.D. Ala. 2011)
- Alfa Mutual Insurance Co. v. City of Mobile, 981 So.2d 371 (Ala. 2007)
Associations & Affiliations
- American Health Lawyers Association
- Paul W. Brock Inn of Court
- Alabama State Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- Mobile Bar Association
- Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
- American Bar Association
Achievements & Recognition
- Professional: Selected for inclusion in Alabama State Bar Leadership Forum (2009); Alabama Lawyer Magazine, Board of Editors Committee (2009-2012)
- Fordham Law School: Fordham International Law Journal, Articles Editor; Hugh Jones Prize at graduation for excellence in Criminal Law, Constitutional Law and Legal Ethics; Archibald Murray Public Service Award
- Queens College: Golden Key National Honor Society; GPA 4.0
Presentations
- Presentation on technical aspects of electronic discovery preservation, collection, processing, review and production at November 17, 2016 seminar titled, “How to Get Your Social Media, Email & Text Evidence Admitted (and Keep Theirs Out),” sponsored by the National Business Institute.
- Presentation on the 2015 amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure at December 10, 2015 seminar, sponsored by the National Business Institute.
- Presentation on breach of contract disputes at July 30, 2012 seminar titled “Business Contracts A to Z,” sponsored by the National Business Institute.
- Presentation titled Federal Criminal Laws Affecting State & Local Government Officials, given at the Alabama Probate Judges’ Summer Conference, June 2010.
Significant Cases
- After winning dismissal of most the plaintiff’s claims on motion to dismiss, reached favorable settlement in False Claims Act lawsuit against physician practice alleging overutilization, unnecessary medical procedures, and Anti-Kickback Law violations
- Represented specialty pharmacy being investigated by Mississippi Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. No action taken against client.
- In mediation with the government before the qui tam complaint was unsealed, reached favorable settlement of False Claim Act lawsuit against physician practice that included claims under the Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute, for alleged breach of numerous Medicare and Tricare regulations and retaliation.
- Represented client targeted in connection with large scale federal criminal investigation of alleged bid-rigging scheme in violation of the Sherman Act that led to over a dozen convictions. Client was not charged.
- In multiple separate cases, assisted health care industry clients respond to investigations by the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Diversion Control Program
- In multiple separate cases, conducted internal investigations for health care providers concerning possible fraud by physicians and other employees.
- Achieved favorable resolution for health care client facing substantial potential exposure under CMS’s 60-Day Overpayment Rule and Monetary Penalties Law by successfully utilizing Self Disclosure Protocol of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.
- Won dismissal of products liability lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, on behalf of defendant pharmaceutical manufacturer and pharmacy company. On eve of court hearing on defendants’ motions for summary judgment, plaintiff voluntarily dismissed lawsuit rather than respond to motions.
- Won dismissal of product liability action against contact lens manufacturer in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama.
- In mediation and arbitration of Alabama derivative lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court of Baldwin County, Alabama, won full ownership of limited liability company for client in dispute with partner who formerly owned fifty percent interest in company.
- Reached favorable settlement for overseas manufacturing company in multi-defendant wrongful death case resulting from industrial accident.
- Represented investor in FINRA arbitration against national brokerage firm and broker who had engaged in unauthorized trading and churning on investor’s account and recovered client funds in settlement.
Speeches
- National Business Institute Seminar, “How to Get Your Social Media, Email & Text Evidence Admitted (and Keep Theirs Out)”
- Presentation on technical aspects of electronic discovery preservation, collection, processing, review, and production
- National Business Institute Seminar
- 2015 Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
- National Business Institute Seminar “Business Contracts A to Z”
- Presentation on breach of contract disputes
Areas of Focus
- Complex Litigation
- Health Care Litigation
- Catastrophic Injury & Wrongful Death Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Product Liability Defense
- Mass Tort, Multi-District & Class Action Litigation
- Medical Device & Pharmaceuticals Litigation
- Federal Criminal Defense
- Internal Investigations
- Appellate Practice