Patrick J. D’Arcy

Practice areas

Business Litigation, Real Estate: Business, Appellate, Business/Corporate, Real Estate: Consumer

Patrick J. D’Arcy is a proficient attorney who manages a diverse range of legal matters with a focus on real estate transactions, litigation, and expert witness services. He also handles business litigation disputes and defamation cases through his law firm. In the past year, Mr. D’Arcy has successfully represented clients in six trials, prevailing in each one. Notably, he achieved victory by defeating a real estate claim from a lender regarding a property featured on the Real Housewives of Orange County, and triumphed over all five claims brought against his client. He effectively navigated a complex arbitration proceeding and secured favorable outcomes by defeating 84 claims via summary judgment and the remaining 48 claims during a comprehensive two-week evidentiary hearing.

In January 2022, Patrick J. D’Arcy, in collaboration with co-counsel, accomplished a remarkable feat by securing one of California’s largest reversals in Complex Court. This intricate case amalgamated five separate lawsuits into a single entity, featuring over 4,400 exhibits and spanning 17 days of trial testimony. Mr. D’Arcy masterfully cross-examined the principal witness and assumed a leading role in one of the lawsuits, successfully combating a defamation action. Additionally, he overcame an anti-SLAPP motion and related appeal. Later, he was enlisted, alongside new co-counsel, to oversee the phase 2 trial involving all the lawsuits. Impressively, he achieved a stunning reversal, nullifying prior findings of elder abuse and breach of fiduciary duty, while also thwarting a substantial attorney’s fees request.

In 2019, Mr. D’Arcy, operating under his professional law corporation, secured one of California’s most sizable jury verdicts in a stock fraud case. He admirably represented 23 plaintiffs and obtained a jury verdict of $3.7 million, which included punitive damages of $1.4 million and a $723,000 judgment against a company for negligent supervision. In another instance, he, along with co-counsel Paul Rafferty of Jones Day, effectively defended a large courier company against a class action, prevailing against both the class certification motion and the ensuing appeal.

Mr. D’Arcy showcased his legal prowess when representing a Burger King franchisee and its principals in a federal court case involving breach of contract concerning a real estate lease. He notably not only refuted the plaintiff’s summary judgment motion but also composed a counter motion, resulting in the dismissal of the case. His strategic application of rule 12b(6) challenges led to the dismissal of most claims against the company and its owners.

Mr. D’Arcy is a skilled practitioner in defamation actions, successfully prosecuting and defending such cases. His track record includes arguing and winning four defamation cases before the Court of Appeal. Notably, he was instrumental in reversing a trial court decision on two defamation actions in Los Angeles through his contributions to an appellate brief, leading to the reversal of the court’s decision and the associated attorney’s fees award. In June 2022, he obtained a substantial six-figure judgment for plaintiffs in a defamation trial.

Mr. D’Arcy’s educational journey includes honors from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California, and achievements as a nationally recognized musician proficient in three instruments. He pursued studies in biology at UCLA from 1980 and graduated from California State University, Northridge in 1993 with a Business Administration degree, specializing in Real Estate and Finance. Subsequently, he obtained an MBA with honors from the same institution in 1996, and in 2006, he graduated from Georgetown University Law Center.

Early in his career, Mr. D’Arcy interned at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton during law school and commenced his legal profession at the firm after graduating. His roles encompassed lending transactions, real estate litigation, and business ventures, including mergers. With over two decades of experience in the title insurance industry, he held significant positions, including President of E-Loan’s national closing company, Senior National Underwriter at First American Title, and Vice President of Centex Corporation, where he established a national closing company.