Courtenay Patterson

Senior Counsel

Contact

Locations

Sacramento

Courtenay Patterson concentrates her practice on complex employment disputes, civil rights litigation under § 1983, First Amendment and due-process claims, and ADA Title III defense.

Courtenay is a former Municipal Court Judge and seasoned constitutional and employment litigator with more than 20 years of federal court and appellate experience.

Her unique background combining judicial service with an active federal litigation practice allows her to provide clients with practical, courtroom-tested strategies in high-stakes matters involving wrongful termination, retaliation, free-speech violations, and government liability.

Solely litigated a multi-year federal RICO action exposing systemic attorney misconduct in serial ADA Title III litigation, resulting in precedent-setting rulings reinforcing integrity in public-accommodation enforcement.
Represented dozens of businesses nationwide in federal ADA Title III lawsuits, obtaining early dismissals and fee awards against serial plaintiffs.
Secured reinstatement, back pay, and university-wide policy reform for tenured employee wrongfully terminated in violation of First Amendment and due-process rights.

Admissions

California
Colorado
Kentucky

Memberships

California Bar Association
Colorado Bar Association
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, Faculty of Federal Advocates
Colorado Women’s Bar Association

Education

J.D., Santa Clara University, 2004
- Honors Moot Court Board
- Honors Moot Court Finalist
B.A., Psychology, summa cum laude, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2001
- Psi Chi International Honor Society
- Mortar Board National Honor Society
- Order of Omega