Ricky K. Patel

Ricky K. Patel
Born (1982-05-04) 4 May 1982
Alma mater
Occupations
Websiterickykpatel.com

Ricky Patel (born May 4, 1982) is an American lawyer and philanthropist.[1] He is an attorney at law serving as Of Counsel with Akerman LLP in Miami.[2]

Patel was the youngest person appointed to Barack Obama’s National Finance Committee.[3] He also served as an ambassador for the Clinton Global Initiative.[3]

Early life and education

Patel was born on May 4, 1982. He attended Florida State University in 2003, receiving a BA degree with a focus on genocide prevention in 2006.[3] He subsequently went to St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law and received his Juris Doctor degree in 2009.[3]

Career

After graduating from the university, Patel joined the Farrell & Patel law firm.[3] He is currently an attorney at law serving as Of Counsel with Akerman LLP in Miami.[2]

Since 2011, Patel has been recognized nationally for his ability to handle extortion and sensitive matter cases for celebrities, athletes and ultra-high net worth individuals.[4]

Patel served as a member of Barack Obama’s National Finance Committee.[3] He also served as an ambassador for the Clinton Global Initiative.[3]

  • In 2010’s BP oil spill case, Patel and his firm represented over 3,500 individuals and businesses, including government municipalities.[3]
  • In 2015, Patel represented American football player Dalvin Cook in a high-profile criminal case and received a unanimous jury verdict of "not guilty" for him.[5]
  • In 2017, after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, Patel was tasked with representing the government against insurance companies who refused to pay for property damage.[3] Patel was able to establish Bill 1645 which provided protection to the people of Puerto Rico against insurance companies who acted in bad faith.[3]
  • In 2020, Patel represented Hall of Fame NFL football player Warren Sapp in a lawsuit securing a victory for him.[6]
  • In 2023, Patel was interviewed by Good Morning America for his representation of the key west parasailing wrongful death case which left two children without a mother.[7]

Philanthropy

Patel founded the ITS4THEKIDS foundation to benefit children in need both nationally and internationally.[8] As of 2023, ITS4THEKIDS has delivered over 890,000 servings of food to children in need.[8] Patel provides over 10,000 duffle bags filled with necessities yearly to children entering the foster care system.[9]

In 2016, Patel helped to establish Gracious Hands Orphanage in Gressier, Haiti.[3] Patel initially provided over $200,000 in supplies and cash to provide the orphans with housing, schooling, staff, and other necessities.[10]

In 2020, Patel launched the Pay It Forward Scholarship, which provides funds yearly to law students who have established a social program that helps those in need.[11]

Awards and recognitions

  • 2024 - Recognized as a Legal Luminary for Class Action Litigation by St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law[12]
  • 2021 - STU Law School, Martin Luther King Award[13]
  • 2018 - Philanthropist of the Year by Little Lighthouse Foundation[3]
  • 2013 - Recognized as 40 Under 40 by South Florida Business Journal[14]
  • 2012 - AAHOA Chairman’s Award for Leadership and Ongoing Services[3]

References

  1. ^ Alec Brzezinski,"Attorney: Suspended Florida State RB Dalvin Cook did not strike woman". sportingnews.com. 14 July 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  2. ^ a b Alexander Lugo,"Akerman Eyes Expansion of Hospitality Litigation Arm in Miami With New Hire". law.com. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Ricky Patel, '09 - 60th Anniversary Gala Alumni Spotlight". stu.edu. 27 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  4. ^ Brendan Sonnone,"FSU running back Dalvin Cook's arraignment date moved back to Sept. 2". orlandosentinel.com. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  5. ^ Jonathan Bass,"Dalvin Cook not interested in a plea deal, prepared to countersue in order to clear name". fansided.com. 14 July 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  6. ^ Mara Siegler,"Warren Sapp accuser's lawyer ordered to pay former NFL star's legal fees". pagesix.com. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  7. ^ Haley Yamada,"Husband of woman killed while parasailing shares warning to other families". goodmorningamerica.com. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Its4TheKids Hosts 'Drums of Hope' to Provide 140,000 Servings of Nourishing Foods to Children's Orphanage in Haiti". communitynewspapers.com. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  9. ^ Meilin Tompkins,"This organization is giving duffle bags to foster kids in NC". wcnc.com. 3 June 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  10. ^ "Help for Haiti: Volunteers in Doral fill drum-sized barrels with food to be sent to orphanages". wsvn.com. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  11. ^ "Philanthropist Ricky Patel Announces New Initiative: Pays Law Students to Give Back". news.marketersmedia.com. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  12. ^ Brett Graff,"Ricky Patel Honored by St. Thomas College". socialmiami.com. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  13. ^ "Ricky K. Patel Of Counsel, Litigation Miami". akerman.com. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  14. ^ "40 Under 40 Honorees: O-R". bizjournals.com. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.