Former federal judicial clerk and government attorney brings deep trial, appellate, and regulatory
experience to growing litigation practice
Goodman Law Group | Chicago (GLG) is pleased to announce that Patrick Berning-O’Neill has joined the firm as a litigator. Patrick brings a distinctive combination of federal judicial, appellate, and government experience to his practice, strengthening the firm’s capabilities in complex litigation, regulatory matters, and high-stakes legal disputes.
Before joining GLG, Patrick served as a law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, where he assisted with all aspects of federal district court litigation. He previously served as Assistant Regional Counsel with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, representing the agency in administrative litigation and advising on regulatory enforcement, employment law, the Federal Tort Claims Act, and the Freedom of Information Act.
Patrick also brings significant appellate experience from his time as a Staff Attorney with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, where he assisted judges with appeals involving civil rights, habeas corpus, criminal law, and employment law. During law school, he represented clients through the University of Chicago Law School Immigrants’ Rights Clinic and served as a judicial extern to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawai‘i.
“Patrick brings an exceptional combination of federal litigation experience, sound judgment, and a sophisticated understanding of complex legal issues,” said David B. Goodman, GLG’s founder. “His experience working within the federal judiciary, the Seventh Circuit, and a federal agency gives him a perspective that will be enormously valuable to our clients. We look forward to the contributions Patrick will make as we continue to expand our litigation practice.”
Patrick earned his J.D. (with honors) from the University of Chicago Law School. He also holds an A.M. (with honors) from the University of Chicago and a B.A. (summa cum laude) from the University of Arizona.