Patrick Montoya is a Senior Partner with Bryson Harris Suciu DeMay.
Patrick is a lawyer with experience in complex and high-profile litigation. His career philosophy—his continued ambition—is to be the lawyer you want for yourself.
With over two decades of experience in practicing law, Patrick’s expertise includes class action and commercial litigation, products liability, personal injury litigation, aviation law, construction law, and toxic torts. He remains committed to ardently defending his clients and protecting their rights while simultaneously prioritizing a one-on-one relationship with each person he represents.
Legal History
His journey to becoming a lawyer uniquely demonstrates his unwavering pursuit of life’s passions. After completing his undergraduate degree, he was awarded the coveted Thomas J. Watson Fellowship and chose to spend his time exploring his admiration for dancing. He also spent an entire year in Brazil and Spain, where he both studied and taught dance and martial arts.
With these life-changing experiences accomplished, Patrick returned to the United States and completed his law degree at the University of Miami School of Law, where he graduated with cum laude honors and as a member of the Inter-American Law Review and the University of Miami Moot Court Board. For over two decades, he’s been a practicing attorney in Florida, furthering his commitment to success and excellence in all that he does.
State Bar Admissions
Federal Court Admissions
- United States District Court, Middle District, Florida
- United States District Court, Northern District, Florida
- United States District Court, Southern District, Florida
Education
- J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law, 2001
- B.A. in Political Science and Ethnic Studies from Davidson College, 1997
Notable Representation
Patrick has reached numerous multi-million dollar verdicts, winning settlements that not only repaid the clients for the wrong they experienced but also initiated strong changes to laws to more efficiently protect society:
- $51.8 million verdict for an Ocala, Florida family involved in a catastrophic car accident
- $8 million verdict in a wrongful death case for two Chinese nationals that were killed when they were hit by a car
- Multi-million dollar trial verdicts for the widow and family of a slain police officer (and in another case for a police officer who was seriously injured by a drunk driver)
- Handled many wrongful death cases stemming from helicopter crashes in the Dominican Republic, parasailing accidents in the Bahamas, and electrocution cases, including the death of a six-year-old boy in his family’s pool
- Million-dollar trial verdict for a group of hospital-based pathologists who sought damages from HMOs for not paying their professional fees (following the verdict, the Supreme Court of Florida upheld the decision, enacting positive change to Florida law)
- Recovered millions for clients, from a Peruvian towel manufacturer, to homeowners who had defective Chinese drywall in their homes, to business owners who were harmed by the BP oil spill, to condominium associations with faulty fire sprinkler systems
Awards and Recognition
He has been recognized as a “Top Up & Comer in South Florida” by South Florida Legal Guide (2009-2013), a Florida Rising Star by Super Lawyers (2010-2012), a Florida Super Lawyer (2013-2025).
He was recognized by Lawdragon in 2020 as one of the nation’s Top 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers.
He received the prestigious Honorable Ted Klein award from Miami-Dade’s chapter of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers for his work in promoting and assisting women’s advancement in the law. For his selfless volunteer contributions, he was granted the prestigious “Donor Next Door” Award by the Dade Community Foundation.
Appointments and Service
- Appointed by the Florida Bar to the Standard Jury Instructions Committee. This committee of lawyers and judges is tasked to review and amend jury instructions used in civil cases.
- Serves on the board of directors for the Cuban-American Bar Association and Florida Funding Legal Aid.
- Served on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida’s Ad Hoc Committee on Rules and Procedures, helping to determine local rules in Federal Court.
- Previously served as the President of Spellman-Hoevler, Inns of Court.
- Formerly on the board of directors of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) and the Miami-Dade Trial Lawyers.
- Appointed as pro bono legal counsel to the Community Public Relations Foundation
Furthering the Legal Profession
- Panelist, The Path Forward: A Live Debate, House of Delegates & Pathologists Leadership Summit, College of American Pathologists
- Speaker, The Art of Trial, Florida International University PLACES (Pre-Law Advocates for Community Engagement and Service)
- Lecturer, University of Miami’s Paralegal Program
- Lecturer, University of Miami undergraduate business law courses
- Legal Research and Writing Instructor, University of Miami School of Law
- Lecturer for CLEs
- Co-author of the book Florida Evidence and Procedure
- Co-Chair of the Davidson College Alumni Chapter representing the South Florida Region
- Member of the Executive Committee for the National Conference of Community and Justice in Greater Miami
In the Media
Patrick also uses his platform as host of the television program “NCCJ: Your Community and You” to engage and educate viewers on important community issues.
Published Works
- Florida Evidence and Procedure (ALM Publishing)
- Federal Court Tips (Daily Business Review, Miami)
- 10 Tips Leading to Efficient and Effective E-discovery for the Small Law Firm (Florida Bar Journal)
- Personal Injury From A to Z, Damages: Part 2 [Pain, Suffering and Punitive Damages] (National Business Institute, Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Classes & Seminars
- Lecturer, Pain & Suffering, Exacerbation of Pre-Existing Injuries, Loss of Earning, and Life Care Plans, National Business Institute, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- Lecturer, The Auto Injury Trial, National Business Institute, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- Lecturer, “The Rules of Evidence: A Practical Toolkit, Handling Email, Social Media and Other ESI”
- Presenter, Opening Argument, “SuperStars In Trial,” Dade County Bar Association
- Lecturer, “Depo 101, Expert Witnesses,” Dade County Bar Association, Young Lawyers Section CLE
- Moderator, “Knock-Out Closing Arguments,” View from the Bench CLE Seminar
- Panelist, “Winning Deposition Techniques,” View from the Bench CLE Seminar
- Lecturer, “Ethical Considerations”
- Lecturer, “Trucking Industry and the Law”
- Presenter, “The New Ediscovery Rules,” 2012 FSBAA Summer Conference, St. Petersburg, FL
- Presenter, “Through the Looking Glass: Handling Mass Tort through the BP Oil Spill Experience,” Broward County Bar Association
- Presenter, “What You Need to Know to Navigate Florida’s New E-discovery Rules,” Webinar
- Presenter, “Attacking Opposing Expert Testimony,” National Business Institute
- Presenter, “Evidence, Experts and Hearsay in the Courtroom,” National Business Institute
- Presenter, “Facing and Navigating the risks of US ‘Taxation of Costs’ laws” at ACEDS 2012 Conference in Hollywood, FL
- Presenter, “You Can’t Spell Sunshine without ‘ESI’: What you should expect under the new Florida e-discovery state rules” at ACEDS 2012 Conference in Hollywood, FL
- Presenter, “Evidence to the Trial Lawyers” Seminar for the Collier County Bar Association
- Presenter, “E-Discovery for Paralegals: Effectively Preserving Evidence” webinar for the Institute for Paralegal Education
- Presenter, “The Evolution of Multi-District Litigation” at the American Bar Association Seminar, “Environmental, Mass Torts and Products Liability Litigation Committees’ Joint CLE Seminar” in Hollywood, Florida
- Presenter, “Cross-Examination of Expert Witnesses” at the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants conference
- Presenter, The Harris Martin Chinese Drywall Conference at the Fountainbleau, featuring the following panel discussions: “The Case Against Taishan/Taihe,” “Knauf-Pilot Program for Repairs” and “Inex and Banner Proposed Class Action Settlements—Objections and Opt-Out Issues”
- Adjunct Professor, Legal Research and Writing Program, University of Miami School of Law
- Lecturer, Litigating Catastrophically Injured Infant Cases, Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- Adjunct Professor, Business Law, Carlos Albizu University, Miami, Florida
- Adjunct Professor, University of Miami Paralegal Program, Core Course and Florida Procedures, Presented by the Florida Bar
- Lecturer, Discovery Practice and Procedures in Tort Litigation, Basic Tort Litigation CLE o Lecturer, Products Liability and Medical Malpractice an Interactive Overview, Basic Tort Litigation CLE, Presented by the Florida Bar
- Lecturer, “Professional Component of Clinical Pathology Fees and Recent Battles With HMOs,” Association of Pathology Chairs 2007 Annual Meeting
- Lecturer, “Florida Bar Advertising and Regulations,” Lorman Seminars
- Lecturer, “Countdown to Trial: A Crash Course in Trial Preparation for Paralegals,” Institute for Paralegal Education
- Lecturer, “Building and Litigating the Class Action Case,” National Business Institute
- Lecturer, “Legal Drafting Tips for Paralegals: Pleadings, Motions and Briefs,” Institute for Paralegal Education
- Lecturer, “How Discovery Is Being Affected by Caselaw and Changes,” Institute for Paralegal Education
- Lecturer, “Paralegal Litigation Skills: Managing Civil Discovery,” Institute for Paralegal Education
- Lecturer, “Representing Your Client in Federal Court,” National Business Institute
- Lecturer, “Document Management in the Trenches: How Paralegals Can Get (And Stay) Organized,” Institute for Paralegal Education
