Cozen O’Connor vice chairman Patrick J. O'Connor has joined the Professional Advisory Board of ALSAC St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, located in Memphis, Tenn., is internationally recognized for its cutting-edge research for finding cures to children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Founded by the late entertainer, Danny Thomas, the hospital does not deny any eligible patient treatment because of the inability to pay. St. Jude, the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute, is America's second-largest health-care charity.
O'Connor is an accomplished trial lawyer who focuses his practice in litigation arising out of contracts, banking matters, estates, professional liability involving legal and accounting matters, health care and aviation-related claims.
O’Connor is actively involved in many legal, professional, civic and educational organizations. He is a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a board member of the Historical Society of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. O’Connor is chairman of the board of BNY Mellon Funds Trusts, Vice Chairman of Franklin Security Bank, a member of the board of Crowley Chemical Company of New York City, a board member of the Philadelphia Police Foundation, and Chair of Philadelphia's Children First Fund.
His educational affiliations include serving as a current member (and former chairman) of the Board of Consultors for the Villanova University School of Law, and as a trustee of Temple University. He previously served as a member and chairman of the board of trustees of College Misericordia, and as a member of the board of directors at Kings College. In 2002, he was honored with the Gerald Abraham Alumni Association Award for Service by the Villanova Law Alumni Association. He and Stephen A. Cozen recently received Temple University’s Musser Award for Excellence, the highest honor awarded by Temple’s Fox School of Business.
A resident of Villanova, Pa., O’Connor earned his undergraduate degree from Kings College (B.A., magna cum laude, 1964) and his law degree from the Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 1967). Following law school, he served as law clerk to the Hon. Thomas J. Clary, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and was an associate attorney at Pepper Hamilton & Scheetz before joining Cozen O'Connor in 1973.