Patrick J. (Pat) Whalen

Pat serves as Chair and Managing Partner of Spencer Fane.

Among other distinctions, Pat has been recognized by clients and colleagues as:

• One of the Nation’s Law Firm Leadership Trailblazers (National Law Journal).
• One of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in the Country (The Business Journals).
• One of the best in the country in delivering outstanding client service to General Counsel of the world’s largest companies, including recognition as one of the top 30 IP lawyers in the country (BTI Consulting, Law360).
• One of the Nation’s CyberSecurity & Data Privacy Trailblazers (National Law Journal).
• Among the best in the world in Internet & E-commerce Law (Business Research, Ltd.).
• The top choice for IP Litigation (Kansas City Business Magazine).
• Two-time Law Firm Leader of the Year for driving greater value and efficiency to clients while growing Spencer Fane (Missouri Lawyers Weekly).
• One of the 250 Most Influential Business Leaders in the Region (Ingram’s Business Magazine).

Civic Involvement

• Board of Directors, Civic Council of Greater Kansas City
• Board of Directors, Kansas City Area Development Council
• Heartland Civic Collaborative Committee
• St. Louis Regional Chamber

Industry Involvement

• Fellow, American Bar Foundation
• Advisory Committee, Managing Partner Institute
• Advisory Board, Legal Project Management
• ABA Committee on Productivity & Knowledge Strategy
• ABA Committee on Legal Project Management
• Former Chair of the Intellectual Property Committee of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section.

Books

• Co-Author, Intellectual Property Deskbook for the Business Lawyer (ABA, 2019)
• Co-Author, Advising Small Business (Thompson/West, 2017)
• Co-Author, Global Business Law (2008)
• Co-Author, Domestic and International Litigation Strategies (Aspatore, 2007)

Representative Presentations and Speaking Engagements

• Keynote Speech, Gartner Compliance, Governance and Risk Management Summit (Chicago)
• Cloud Computing, (ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco)
• Reps and Warranties in Cross-Border IP Transactions, (ABA Annual Meeting, Chicago)
• Advanced Licensing Agreements (Practicing Law Institute, Chicago)
• Monetizing Intellectual Property (ABA Annual Meeting, New York City)
• Copyright Disputes in Outsourcing Transactions (ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco)
• Addressing Patent Infringement Risks in Your Transaction (Chair), (ABA Business Law Section Meetings, Washington, D.C.)
• Financial Institutions and Intellectual Property Risks (Missouri Banker’s Association)
• CyberCrime in Electronic Commerce (Miami, Florida)
• Emerging Internet Legal Developments (Kansas City, Missouri)
• E-Commerce Strategies in the Automotive Parts Industry (Clemson University Annual Conference, Hilton Head, South Carolina)
• CyberSabotage (Miami, Florida Marcus Evans)
• Protecting Intellectual Property (The Missouri Bar Annual Meeting, Kansas City, Missouri)
• Discovery of Electronic Evidence (with Deloitte & Touche, St. Louis, Missouri and Overland Park, Kansas)
• Internet Law (National Business Institute)
• Electronic Discovery in Corporation Litigation (The Missouri Bar Annual Convention)
• Trade Secrets: Litigation and Transactions (Los Angeles, Law Seminars International)
• Outsourcing and The Protection of Your Company’s Intellectual Property (Chairman & Speaker, American Bar Association, Chicago, Illinois)
• Sarbanes-Oxley and Intellectual Property (Chair, ABA Business Law Section Annual Meeting, Tampa)
• Preventing Corporate Espionage (National Association of Purchase Managers)

Distinctions

• Best Lawyers in America, 2020-2023
• Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers, 2008-2022
• Kansas City Business Journal, Best of the Bar
• Ingram’s 250: The Most Powerful Business Leaders in Greater Kansas City, 2016, 2022
• Previously recognized as one of the city’s Top 40 Business Leaders Under 40

Contact Pat Whalen at 816.292.8237 or pwhalen@spencerfane.com.