Heather a. patchen, esq.
It all started when…
Licensed to practice in Florida and Colorado, Heather A. Patchen is an attorney with an M.B.A. who devotes her efforts to ensure that her clients’ property investments are well protected. Her law practice, Patchen Law, P.A., focuses on issues involving property with a special emphasis in the areas of business, contracts, real estate, and eminent domain.
Born in Miami and raised in Miami Beach, she takes great pride in following in the footsteps of her father, Brian P. Patchen, a successful Florida eminent domain attorney, and fondly recalls explaining to her childhood friends that “my dad beats up on the government when they decide to take your property!” Today, when her clients are faced with a potential eminent domain proceeding, she stands ready to defend their property rights.
Heather has experience working on both partial and complete takings against the Florida Department of Transportation and Miami-Dade County. She has also handled landlord/tenant disputes, drafted and negotiated real estate leases and various other contracts. Additionally, she has conducted real estate closings and served as a Guardian ad Litem in foreclosure matters. Prior to embarking on her legal career, Heather enjoyed a successful 15-year career in business-to-business marketing and promotions.
She attended law school in the evening program at Florida International University College of Law while maintaining her full-time position as marketing director for a statewide Florida Law firm. Heather graduated a semester early in December of 2011. In addition to balancing her law studies with full-time work, Heather was an active member of the FIU Trial Team. She competed in the 2011 Chester Bedell Memorial Mock Trial Competition and made it to the semi-final round in the 2011 E. Earle Zehmer Mock Trial Competition. She was a member of the Dean’s list and also a received the CALI Award in Local Government Law.
In 2006, she earned a Master of Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University and graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts, specializing in Rhetoric and Public Address, as well as Radio, Television, and Film Production.
Heather is an avid international traveler with a thirst for adventure and loves surfing, hiking, yoga, martial arts, triathlons, swimming, and water polo. She actively participates throughout the year in a number of events supporting various charitable causes and currently serves on the Alumni Board for the UW South Florida Chapter and the FIU College of Law.
MEMBERSHIP & ACTIVITIES
The Florida Bar, Real Property, Probate & Trust Section (Senior Lawyers Committee, 2013-2015)
Colorado Bar Association, Real Property, Probate & Trust Section
American Bar Association, Real Property, Probate & Trust Section
Dade County Bar Association, Real Property Committee
Broward County Bar Association, Real Property Section
FAWL, Miami-Dade Chapter
Women of Wild, supporting the Zoological Society of Florida
University of Wisconsin Alumni Association, Executive Board for the South Florida Chapter
FIU College of Law Alumni Association, Board of Directors - Director at Large
FIU College of Law Dean’s Circle
PAST EMPLOYMENT
Contract Attorney, Toby Prince Brigham, P.A. (Dec. 2012 – Apr. 2013)
Marketing Director, Wicker Smith O'Hara McCoy & Ford P.A. (Mar. 2006 – Sep. 2012)
bar admissions
2012, Florida
2013, Colorado
education
Florida International University, College of Law, J.D. 2011
FIU Trial Team 2010-2011
Semi-finalist, 2011 E. Earle Zehmer Mock Trial Competition
2011 Chester Bedell Memorial Mock Trial Competition
Dean’s List, Fall 2010
CALI Book Award: Local Gov. Law
Florida Atlantic University, M.B.A. 2006
University of Wisconsin Madison, B.A. (Communication Arts) 1997
UW Women’s Water Polo, 1993-1997 (Capt. '96-'97)
Gamma Phi Beta Sorority
Languages
English, French & Spanish