Died: October 12, 2012
Pat grew up in Pasadena, California, attended Pasadena’s LaSalle High School and always credited the tireless activities of his Christian Brothers (and supporting lay staff) education as the foundation of his later activities as a noted real estate lawyer and professor of law. At Yale, he was a member of Ezra Stiles, and roomed with John Amatruda and Smiley Martin. He was active in Phi Gamma Delta, and the Yale Typing, Tutoring and Rooming Agencies. Beyond that, he sang in the Freshman Glee Club, and later, with the Society of Orpheus and Bacchus, in which he, a baritone would sing, in his words, “…loud and almost always on key…”
Pat left New Haven to return to California, where he attended Boalt Hall, and, after graduation from law school and a stint with one of the major law firms, he adopted and adapted to a career as a real estate law professor. His “hornbook” Randolph’s “Friedman on Leases” is an updated and valuable resource to commercial leasing lawyers all over the country.
Pat had been, since 1980, a professor of Real Estate Law at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and became the Director of the UMKC/Peking University Department of Law. He was also the first foreign director of a research center at Peking University.
Pat’s knowledge of Chinese real estate law led to his receiving two extraordinary prizes: in 2006, the Beijing Municipal Government awarded him the Great Wall Friendship Prize in recognition of his many contributions to the Chinese legal system. Following this award, the National Government of China in 2008 awarded Pat the National Friendship prize medal.
At his death in October of 2012, Pat was survived by his widow, Pamela McCormick, a sister and a brother, his son Patrick III, his daughter, Alice Pattison, and two granddaughters, Emily and Brigid.