Patrick Flanagan

More About Patrick Flanagan

Pat Flanagan currently serves as the Chair of the firm’s Municipalities & Public Entities Practice Group and Vice-Chair of the Employment Practice Group. Before joining Cranfill Sumner, Pat served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps and as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney. He is a member of all United States District Courts in North Carolina, the Fourth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.

Litigating cases for almost 30 years, Pat focuses his practice on municipal law, civil rights and government liability defense, and the defense of employers, both public and private.  He also defends various types of premises liability claims and claims against homeowners associations, community management groups and non-profit organizations.

Pat has successfully defended public and private entities and individuals in numerous jury trials including wrongful termination; civil rights such as First Amendment, Fourth Amendment and excessive force; wrongful death; contract; defamation; breach of fiduciary duty; negligence; and premises liability. He follows through with his clients, in conjunction with the firm’s Appellate Group, when cases are appealed to the North Carolina and Federal Appellate Courts, and serves on the NCBA Appellate Practice Section.  In addition, he has handled innumerable administrative cases in the EEOC, NCDOL, USDOJ, ESC and NCOAH.

Pat regularly meets with Managers, Councils, and Boards as a trusted legal advisor.  Because he has significant depth and breadth of experience in his areas of expertise, including extensive jury trial experience, Pat sees the big legal picture quickly and provides his clients with actionable strategies to obtain the best outcome for them under the circumstances of each individual case.